Former president Shashank Manohar, who attended the BCCI AGM, talks about why it is important that the winds of change blow through the corridors of power in the BCCI and why he is hopeful that the Jagmohan Dalmiya-Anurag Thakur partnership will work. Excerpts:

How do you describe the BCCI’s 85th AGM and are you happy with its outcome?

There’s a clear vertical split in the cricket board, which is demonstrated by the voting pattern. If the other man (Rakesh Parikh) from the Baroda Cricket Association was allowed to vote (Satyajit Singh Gaekwad was given the go-ahead instead by Shivlal Yadav, who chaired the meeting), all the results would have gone against them (N Srinivasan’s panel).

Dalmiya represented Srinivasan’s panel, while the new secretary Anurag Thakur comes from Sharad Pawar’s faction. Can they work in tandem?

Who says Dalmiya represented Srinivasan’s panel? If someone becomes a unanimous choice, then he has had the support of all 30 members. So what prevents him to work in unison with Thakur? I believe the two will gel well. Both have said they would like to work for cricket.

So you believe Srinivasan won’t be having any influence over Dalmiya?

Both Dalmiya and Thakur are independent persons. Both are very capable administrators with a huge amount of experience. They will be their own men.

Why didn’t Sharad Pawar himself contest?

Pawar never thought about occupying any post. The same holds true for me, (Sanjay) Jagdale or (Ajay) Shirke. We were there because certain members were not happy with the way BCCI was functioning. They sought our help. We went there only because we felt the cricket board should be in good hands. And the BCCI is now in good hands.

Do you mean to say BCCI was not in good hands with Srinivasan in charge?

I don’t want to get into that. I was not in the thick of things after I had completed my stint as president and left the board. I was not involved in its day-to-day functioning. I came this time because I felt a change was needed.

Ganguly welcomes Dalmiya

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly hailed the return of Jagmohan Dalmiya as BCCI president and said the seasoned cricket administrator will fulfil all the expectations. “He knows (things) better than anybody else. He will do all the right things. He will fulfil all the expectations,” Ganguly said. There were reports about Dalmiya’s desire for Ganguly to head the BCCI technical committee but the former skipper refused to comment of the issue. “I will see when it comes,” Ganguly said. Dalmiya taking over BCCI to job may also turn out to be a windfall of sorts for the Cricket Association of Bengal which is expecting to host the final of World Twenty20 next year.