Wadekar's driver assaulted

Faisal Shariff   in Bombay

A fiery election battle seems to be getting its fair share of dirty political flavour. The Mumbai Cricket Association elections turned bloody on Wednesday morning, when some persons beat up Basheer Sheikh, driver of former Indian captain Ajit Wadekar, at Worli in central Bombay.

"Basheer was coming to pick me up from his house, near Worli Seaface, when some people jumped at him. They were talking to him about the elections," Wadekar said to rediff.com over the telephone.

Wadekar is contesting the Mumbai Cricket Association election for the president's post, against Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, on January 19.

''His nose was bleeding and his face was swollen when he came home. He is unable to see anything now. He has been taken to Poddar Hospital and a complaint has been lodged at the Worli police station," the former skipper said.

On whether he smelt political vendetta, he replied that it was very difficult to say anything now.

"It is only an election, but this is the price that the sport will have to pay if mixed with politics," he added.

Wadekar has now sought police protection.

"Shouldn't I get police protection? I could be next in line for this kind of treatment," he said.

Meanwhile, MCA committee member Sripad Halbe, from the Pawar camp, condemned the attack, saying, "It is unfortunate that such a thing should have happened." He added: "It is not right that politics and sport should mix."

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