Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi has extended on Sunday (17 June) his “unstinted support” behind Madan Lal and Surender Khanna for the top roles at the controversy-ridden Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), saying the duo are purely eligible to win the elections.

The DDCA elections to be held on June 30  will see 58 candidates to fight for the top roles at the state association with former Delhi skipper Madan Lal combating for the presidency role against Supreme Court lawyer Vikas Singh and India TV owner Rajat Sharma.  

As per reports in Press Trust of India, Bedi said in a statement, “We wish that two cricketers, Madan Lal and Surender Khanna who have shown guts to contest these elections, should win. They have our unstinted support. Both of them have done yeomen service for Delhi cricket and have promoted the game of cricket at the grass root level and in various capacities over the years.”

The spin great further added, “Now through relatives and friends, most of them are trying to stage a backdoor entry. Members should be wary of supporting such candidates and proxies of tainted ex-office bearers. It is time for members to show such families that their 'perceived family preserve' is actually a public trust and that only people with the larger interest in cricket will be chosen by them.”

Bedi signed off by saying, “We look forward to members not succumbing to the guile of the ex-office bearers who want to push in their relatives and friends as office bearers. Members should vote of their free will and not be swayed by emotional calls of ex-office bearers.”