News Broadcasting
Punjab cricket body proposes Pawar for top BCCI post
MUMBAI: Even as Indian cricket board supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya prepares for some legal jousting in the Supreme Court tomorrow, a battle on another front is well and truely joined. The stage is set for a fierce contest for the presidentship of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with the Punjab Cricket Association having decided to nominate political heavyweight Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for the post.
Elections that will decide who takes over from Dalmiya at the helm of the world’s richest cricket board are to be held on Wednesday.
“The PCA has decided to give our nomination to Pawar at his request,” PCA Treasurer GS Walia was quoted as telling Press Trust of India on Monday.
The development is significant especially since Dalmiya is reportedly backing Haryana Cricket Association president Ranbir Singh Mahendra for the top job. Being sister state units, the PCA would normally have been expected to back the HCA. Dalmiya had initially supported BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley for the top job, but after the former union law and commerce minister withdrew from the race, put his weight behind Mahendra.
According to a report in the Indian Express, Dalmiya controls seven votes Cricket Association of Bengal, National Cricket Club (Kolkata), Tripura, Kerala, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh out of a possible 30. Of the remaining 23 votes, six are controlled by Congress politicians who run the Orissa, Hyderabad, Gujarat, MP, Assam and Goa units. Three are institutional votes services, universities and railways.
Pertinently, in both the BCCI presidency battle as well as the board’s fight in the Supreme Court, Dalmiya is confronting the same adversary in Zee group CMD Subhash Chandra. The reported “open lobbying” for the Maharashtra strongman Sharad Pawar by Chandra is being seen in industry circles as one of the reasons why the BCCI chief has now declared “open war” on Chandra.
It remains to be seen which of these two titans in their respective domains, both from the Marwari business community, comes out the winner in this no-holds barred slugfest.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
