Delhi wrestling chief Jai Prakash in fray for WFI president’s post, also applies for VP and secretary-general’s post

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Delhi state body chief Jai Prakash has filed nomination papers for three posts, including that of president, in the August 12 Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, according to the official list issued by the returning officer on Tuesday.

Besides Prakash, the other three in the fray for the top post are UP wrestling body vice-president Sanjay Singh, Jammu and Kashmir senior Senior Superintendent of Police Dushyant Sharma and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran.

Out of the four, Prakash and Singh are from the Brij Bhushan camp.

Sheoran, one of the witnesses in the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan, is representing Odisha, though the 38-year-old hails from Haryana and is employed with the state police.

Returning officer and former J&K High Court Judge Mahesh Mittal Kumar on Tuesday announced the official list of candidates for 15 posts.

Prakash has also filed his nomination papers for two other posts as well — vice-president and secretary-general.

The Brij Bhushan camp had kept Prakash’s name a closely-guarded secret on Monday, the last date of filing nominations, portraying only Singh, who is also the WFI joint secretary, as their only candidate for the top post.

It remains to be seen who, if any, decides to pull out on the last date for withdrawal of nominations, which is August 7.

Dushyant had attended the crucial meeting hosted by Brij Bhushan at a five-star hotel here on July 30, where the BJP leader had announced that he had the support of 22 of the 25 state bodies for the WFI elections.

Dushyant has also filed nominations for the post of treasurer.

Three candidates are in the fray for the post of secretary-general, of which Chandigarh association general secretary and WFI vice-president Darshan Lal and Prakash are from the Brij Bhushan camp, while Prem Chand Lochab, the Railway Sports Control Board (RSPB) secretary, could be from a rival camp.

Lochab’s name figuring in the electoral college had surprised everyone as on July 25 he was not associated with any existing state body. His name later emerged as a representative from Gujarat.

According to the WFI constitution, only members of the state executive can be part of the electoral college for the elections.

Two candidates — Satyapal Singh Deshwal and Dushyant Sharma — have filed nomination papers for the post of treasurer. Deshwal, from the Uttarakhand unit, is from the Brij Bhushan camp.

Elections will be held for the posts of president (1), senior vice-president (1), vice-president (4), secretary-general (1), treasurer (1), joint secretary (2) and executive members (5).

There are four candidates for the post of president, three for senior vice-president, six for vice-president, three for the lone post of secretary general, two for treasurer, four for joint secretary and 10 for executive members’ post.

Scrutiny of the nomination papers as well as announcement of the list of validly nominated candidates will be done on Wednesday.

List of candidates who filed nomination papers:

President: Sanjay Kumar Singh, Jai Prakash, Dushyant Sharma, Anita Sheoran.

Senior vice-president: Asit Kumar Saha, ID Nanavati, Devender.

Vice-President: Hamza-Bin-Omer, Kartar Singh, N Phoni, Asit Kumar Saha, Jai Prakash, Mohan Yadav.

Secretary-general: Darshan Lal, Jai Prakash, Prem Chand Lochab.

Treasurer: Satya Pal Singh Deshwal, Dushyant Sharma.

Joint secretary: RK Purushotham, Rohtash Singh, Bellippady Gunaranjan Shetty, Kuldip Singh.

Executive members: M Loganathan, Neivikuolie Khatsii, Rakesh Singh, Ummed Singh, Prashant Rai, Rajnish Kumar, J Srinivasa, Ratul Sarma, Ajay Vaid, Kuldip Singh.