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N Srinivasan steps aside, but gets his way

Despite mounting pressure, BCCI president N Srinivasan refused to resign on Sunday, but agreed to "step aside" till the board's internal probe into the IPL spot-fixing controversy is over.

Cricket Association of Bengal president Jagmohan Dalmiya, a former president of the BCCI and ICC, has been appointed as the "interim head", and will take over the executive powers. Editorial: Of the BCCI, for the BCCI

Setting the tone for the BCCI's emergent working committee meeting here today, Srinivasan reportedly began by saying that he had no intention of resigning. "Tell me why should I resign? It is not me who has done anything wrong," he reportedly said in his opening remarks. "If Gurunath (Meiyappan) has done something wrong, the law will take its own course and I will accept it." Related: Srinivasan to remain India's man in ICC

"I have been under terrible pressure. People have been talking non-stop. I have been portrayed as the main guy behind this. I said I am ready to appoint a commission that will independently inquire into the betting and spot-fixing scandal," he reportedly said, adding, "I am being hounded by the media as if I am a criminal... The other day, they chased my daughter's car... they are chasing me even during my morning walk."

The members gave him a patient hearing, with nobody interrupting him.

Arun Jaitley, the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association chief who participated in the proceedings via video conference, then reportedly advised Srinivasan to step aside till the end of the internal inquiry. Srinivasan agreed, and requested Jaitley to take over in the interim.

Jaitley said this wouldn't be possible, with his political career taking up most of his time over the coming months, and suggested Dalmiya's name. All the committee members reportedly agreed, with the exception of Punjab Cricket Board chief I S Bindra, who demanded that Srinivasan should resign.

A BCCI press release issued after the meeting said: "N Srinivasan announced that he will not discharge his duties as the president of the board till such time that the probe is completed. Till such time, Jagmohan Dalmiya will conduct the day-to-day affairs of the board." The board also requested Sanjay Jagdale and Ajay Shirke to withdraw their resignations from their posts of secretary and treasurer respectively.

Jaitley also requested Shirke and Jagdale to reconsider their decisions to resign. Jagdale said as a former cricketer, he was hurt by the whole row. Jaitley asked him to give it some more thought, and take a final decision the next day.

Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Srinivasan said that "nobody" in the committee had asked him to resign. Srinivasan has been under immense pressure to resign ever since his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested in the case more than a week back. Srinivasan is managing director of India Cements which own the CSK franchise.

Before the start of the meeting, Srinivasan met each member individually and tried to impress on them how difficult the past week has been for him. He was seen sitting in the lobby of the hotel at which the meeting was held, and talking to BCCI vice-president Sudhir Dabir and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Ravi Savant.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the choice of Dalmiya as interim head didn't go down too well with Niranjan Shah, the seniormost BCCI vice-president and one of the contenders.

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