Elections Keep IPL Dates On Their Toes

It is simply not proving to be a walk in the park. If last year, people did not know what exactly to expect of the IPL, this year one has to keep guessing if the IPL is even feasible in the time of elections.
The Lok Sabha elections, Lalit Modi would say, have impinged upon the one thing that makes him the happiest, not to mention the wealthiest. The BCCI initiative into the Twenty20 cricket business was a runaway success last year. But this year, it is proving to be quite a conundrum.
The electronic media is in constant overdrive. No one is saying it, except that the manner in which the Breaking News keeps flashing across the screens, it is either to announce two parties colliding or colluding or to report the roadblocks in the IPL.
Modi is ensuring the media through tiresome press conference that one sometimes wonders if it is necessary at all to explain to exhaustion what kind of security is required when all the journalists only want to know is the final IPL schedule. In fact, should not security or where it is required or how it is planned remain a matter of secrecy? It is done with private security agencies by foreign teams even though they are provided local security. But one never hears of other hosts publicly announcing what kind of security they are investing in or what methods are at their disposal.
Modi was perhaps only trying to appease the media as well as let the world know of how much is involved in hosting a tournament of this nature. But is that not obvious in this day and age? Besides for all the talk and assurances, one terror attack in Lahore brought Pakistan to its knees. Is it not wiser then to quietly seek means to back one’s assurances rather than to dwell to boredom of how is being done. After all, this is not social interest activity. This is being done with business interests in mind, and safeguarding foreigners is paramount to FDI’s as it is to the IPL that thrives on the international conmixture.
The worst part is it is the players who Modi refuses to meet but is more than happy to divulge security related information to the press. Is the modus operandi in the right place?
Meanwhile, the passing the buck game is going around with the Centre asking States about the feasibility of hosting the IPL in their respective states while the states are demanding support from the Centre. Who will then be responsible should, God forbid, an unfortunate incident take place? Especially with parties more concerned about their own seats than the health of the public, can they even be relied upon?