Pankaj Lochan Mohanty Files Nomination for OCA President

Bhubaneswar: Industrialist Pankaj Lochan Mohanty has filed his nomination for the post of president of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), which has remained vacant since the resignation of Pranab Prakash Das.

Das, a former minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader, stepped down in December 2023 after serving as OCA president since 2022. Mohanty, currently the vice-president of OCA, is the sole candidate to file a nomination for the top post, sources said.

According to OCA officials, the scrutiny of nominations will take place on February 14, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until February 15. The new president will be elected during OCA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 24.

Mohanty previously held the position of OCA president from 2019 to 2022. Following Das’ resignation, there was speculation that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former MLA Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra might contest for the post. However, with Mohanty as the lone candidate, he is likely to be elected unopposed.

Meanwhile, the OCA has been facing criticism over technical issues with the floodlights at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. A glitch in the lighting system disrupted the India-England ODI match on February 9 for around 30 minutes, drawing flak from various quarters.