BS News Agency file Picture.
BS News Agency: She protested on several issues before the elections. However, PT Usha could not win the eligible sportsperson (SOM) election. She protested on several issues before the elections. Among them, she also accused Bengali athlete Dola Banerjee of irregularities. However, PT Usha could not win the eligible sportsperson (SOM) election. Four people have been elected to the SOM in the women's category. They are former long jumper Anju Bobby George, former archer Dola, former women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal and former badminton player Saina Nehwal. Former shooter Gagan Narang, former boxer Vijender Singh, former wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta won in the boys' category. None of them had to contest the election. The remaining four candidates withdrew their nominations.
There were six candidates in the women's category. Anju got the highest number of votes with 53. She is followed by Rani (50), Dola (45) and Saina. Usha is in fifth place with 40 votes. Despite her defeat, Usha can contest the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Working Committee elections. However, for that, she will have to get nomination in the general meeting of a sports body under the National Sports Council, which is unlikely. The Athletics Federation of India is not willing to make Usha a representative. According to the IOA constitution, a presidential candidate has to be a member of the SOM or the general assembly. Usha herself became the IOA president as a SOM.
It is worth noting that news agency BS News Agency reported that Usha alleged that Dola had sent messages to many people on WhatsApp to vote for a panel of four candidates. In the complaint, Usha wrote that a message had been spread from a WhatsApp account in the name of Dola. There, a request was made to vote for the 'New Bharat Panel'. The names of the four candidates and their ballot numbers were also given there.
Usha alleged that according to Section 1.9 of the election rules issued on October 30, no candidate can campaign through social media or the media. Sections 1.2 and 1.3 make it clear that the campaign should not be done in a disrespectful manner towards other candidates. Therefore, the message sent by Dola is illegal. She has violated the rules. Usha requested the election officer to investigate the entire incident impartially. She also requested to speak to the person in whose name this message was spread. If there is indeed a violation of the rules, then appropriate action should be taken, Usha demanded.
Dola, a medalist at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, regarding this matter. She said that she would not comment on the matter.