Team Herald
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PANJIM: A panel backed by Chetan Dessai secured a landslide victory in the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) elections, winning all key posts for the next three years.
Mahesh Dessai was elected president with 62 votes, becoming the first Ranji player to hold the position. Paresh Fadte as Vice-President with 63 votes and Tulshidas Shetye as Secretary with 59 votes.
Anant Naik secured the Joint Secretary position with 70 votes, Sayed Majid is the new Treasurer with 58 votes and Mahesh Beki was elected as a committee member with 65 votes. Mahesh Dessai is the first Ranji player to become president of the association.
For Chetan and his supporters, the victory was a vindication of years of organisational work and an endorsement of their vision. Speaking after the results, he said, “In the name of the Almighty, a dream came true. Without him, this victory was never possible. Our panel has always been confident and united. This clean sweep shows the faith the clubs have in our leadership.”
“Since the entire panel belongs to one camp, decisions will be smoother and more coordinated,” one senior member told
O Heraldo. “Goan cricket desperately needs stability and direction.”
Among the top priorities of the new committee is the long-pending stadium project at Dargal, which has already received approval in principle at the annual general meeting. Both Dessai and his team reiterated that the government and the BCCI will be roped in to expedite the process.
“The clubs are the soul of the GCA. Together, with the government and BCCI support, we will make the Dargal stadium a reality and usher in a golden period for Goan cricket,” Dessai declared.
Beyond the infrastructure, the panel pledged to focus on strengthening grassroots cricket, providing financial and logistical support to the players, ensuring that the State competes more strongly at the national level. Several members pointed out that Goan cricket has only managed one major win in the past three years, and the new leadership wants to reverse that trend.
The mood among supporters was celebratory yet reflective. As one official put it, “This result closes one chapter of rivalry but opens another of responsibility. The clubs have given a decisive mandate. Now it is up to this panel to deliver.”