Blame Pawar for IPL mess: Raj Thackeray

Wading into the ongoing Indian Premier League controversy, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday accused Union Minister and former BCCI chief Sharad Pawar for the mess in the Twenty20 league.

"Pawar has helmed the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the parent body of IPL for years. How come now he says that he is no way connected to the Indian Premier League?," Raj told mediapersons in Mumbai on Friday.

"If Pawar has nothing to do with IPL, then on whose directions the entertainment tax on T20 matches has been waived off in Maharashtra, where his party is in power with Congress?," he said.

Pawar has brought a bad name to the game of cricket, he alleged. Raj also raised doubts on Pawar not knowing IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi's past records that includes involvement in drug trafficking.

However, the MNS chief said that banning IPL was no solution to the current problem. "Several budding cricketers get a chance to play in Twenty20. Banning it would serve no purpose," he said.

"Corruption is prevalent in politics, elections and Bollywood. It does not mean that one seeks a ban on politics," he said, adding, the Centre should ensure a thorough probe into the IPL mess.

He said the government should not forget that a lot of power was being used for the day and night IPL matches even as several parts of Maharashtra are facing load-shedding.