Jab tak rahega Samose mein aaloo!

It was expected. After all, Laloo is ambitious, hungry for success, and the one who loves the limelight and thrives in it.

More than that, the strongman from Bihar has proved his pedigree. Ruled his state for a good fifteen years, tightened up the loosening joints of Indian Railways, mesmerized the people of Pakistan, and is regularly invited for management lectures in India’s and world’s top universities.

So what if Laloo has not played cricket? How many in the cricketing establishment can boast of having played the game at the international level. Still they have been as good or bad administrators, as a cricketer could have been. Has not BCCI flourished most under the likes of Bindra and Dalmiya, leading to numerous debates on cricket killing other sports?

Laloo’s younger son has played cricket and the Railway Minister is justifiably proud of it. Once when a TWI crew tried to grill Laloo on why he was encouraging his son to play cricket and not take political lessons, Laloo’s reply was ‘’Politicians ko zyadatar desh dekhta hai, cricketers to videsho mein bhi jaane jaate hain,’’ (Mostly country watches the politicians, cricketers are seen the world over). What he did not say, administrators too!

Having Laloo at the helm may not appeal to the so called refined tastes of most of the Urban India, but there are certain definite advantages.

Decentralisation: Laloo is not going to wield his lathi to push his point of view. Bureaucracy at the Railways is indebted to him for allowing them to shape up things. Thanks to this, the railways under Laloo showed additional earnings of Rs 15,000 crore in 2005-06, becoming the second largest PSU profit-earner after ONGC. IIM Ahmedabad, recognizing this, made it a case study for its students.

It is quite likely that the culture of democratisation will be at it zenith in the BCCI under him, allowing it to earn more, and distribute too.

Language: Non-English speaking cricketers will be most happy. They will find the president most approachable. They will also know he will say what he means. And will not change his statements to suit the situation.

Dalmiya Baiter: The present dispensation will not be disturbed, otherwise it can lead to another major crisis in these turbulent times for cricket. Pawar’s ambition to be the ICC President will also remain on course. Other small satraps of BCCI will also be able to call the shots freely, as they are doing now,

Eye for Eye: Laloo is good at giving it back. Just think of Damien Martyn or Ricky Ponting trying to push him out of the Podium. One can bet that Laloo would have hit back, pushing out the entire Australian squad off the stage for discourtesy shown to the host. For this reason alone, he deserves to be the BCCI President.

But the only flip side could be if Laloo insists on Railway being the official carrier of the Indian cricket team! Players will like anything else he does, but this.