New Delhi, Jun 10 (IANS): Top officials of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) Wednesday accused the sports ministry of trying to "influence" its election Sunday as former India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin sprang up to contest for the president's post.

BAI officials say it is a clear case of the ministry "interfering" in the internal affairs of an autonomous sports association.

The sports ministry has allegedly thrown its weight behind Azharuddin, a Congress member of parliament from Moradabad, against incumbent president V. K. Verma.

Verma is under the scanner, having completed 12 years in office - the limit the ministry's controversial guidelines fixed for the tenure of a sports association's president.

A majority of BAI units have already written to the ministry that they will reject Azharuddin’s nomination as he is serving a life ban by the Indian cricket board on the charge of match-fixing.

Injeti Srinivas, joint secretary in the ministry, Tuesday met sports officials of the Association of Indian Universities, Railways, Services, Petroleum and Air India and informed them that the ministry has appointed Deepika Kachhal, director in the department of sports, as the government observer for Sunday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Chennai.

BAI secretary in-charge Punnaiah Choudhary said though the government has no business to appoint an observer, the AGM will welcome her because the association has nothing to hide.

"The government is interfering in our internal affairs. We already have two observers, from the Indian Olympic Association and the Badminton World Federation, and why do we need a third one?" Choudhary asked.

"But if the government still insists on sending someone, we have no problem. We will conduct a free and fair election. We have nothing to hide and we follow all the procedures," Choudhary told IANS from Chennai.

Choudhary, however, questioned the motives behind the ministry’s meeting only the state-controlled bodies to malign the BAI.

"They could have called all BAI units and discussed the issues. Why call only four-five members? We have nothing against the government, we are with the government."

Srinivas, as per the minutes of the meeting put on the ministry’s website, told the members: "Contrary to the assertion made by the president, BAI in his letter that the government provides hardly Rs.20 lakh per annum and BAI receives annual sponsorship money to the tune of Rs.8.5 crore."

"The ministry was also providing a lot of support for procurement of imported shuttlecocks and mats for the state badminton units, amounting to around Rs.70 lakh annually. Since the president, BAI had totally distorted the facts and had given a misleading picture to the member units, it was decided that this matter must be raised in the governing body meeting."

Srinivas, when contacted by IANS, said the ministry is well within its rights to call a meeting of the government-controlled sports bodies.

Another BAI official said the ministry by targeting Verma is trying to make it a test case for the implementation of guidelines and send out a warning to other sports bodies.

"Why is the ministry jumping the gun and assuming that Verma will contest. He has not put forward his nomination and has not said that he will stand for the president's post. Verma has done lot of good for the game and the players. He has strong support base in BAI. Moreover, we will not support anyone who is already facing a ban from the cricket board."

BAI constitution permits Azhar to contest the election as anyone can jump into the fray for the posts of president and secretary without being a member of any state unit. But his candidature will have to be proposed and seconded by affiliated units. Azharuddin also has to be an "authorized" member of a unit to attend the AGM.

A BAI member told IANS that it is now clear the ministry is meddling in the association’s matters as political pressure is being brought upon several affiliated units to back Azharuddin’s candidature.

"The ministry has apparently instructed the officials who attended Tuesday’s meeting to propose and second Azhar’s candidature. Without government interference and in a fair and transparent election, Verma will win the election unanimously," said the member.

Azharuddin, who addressed a news conference Saturday in Delhi without any BAI member by his side, was asked where will he get his support from. His cryptic reply was: "Wait and watch, a lot of things will happen before the week is over."