The power tussle in Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) once again reared its ugly head on Monday as altercation marred the opening session of its “fourth annual general assembly” here on Monday.

A group led by vice-presidents Keshav Ghimire and Sunil Amatya from President Tanka Aangbuhang faction demanded the general assembly be stopped. Ghimire and Amatya had to be controlled by security personnel after both got involved in an altercation with vice-president Chatur Bahadur Chand who was addressing the district members from the podium.

The rift between Aangbuhang and General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakurel was evident on Sunday when the latter announced the AGM for Monday, while the former immediately refuted the claim. The general assembly was supposed to elect a new leadership.

But country’s supreme sports body National Sports Council (NSC) has already pulled the plug out of it, claiming the process hasn’t met criteria and refrained from sending representatives to the assembly as required by CAN’s statute to get validity. Amatya took over the podium and read out the letter from NSC declaring that the general assembly was called off for an indefinite period before he was dragged down by police. Around 30 people invaded the venue with placards including a demand to form Nepal Cricket Board and re-hire coach Pubudu Dassanayake.

“This annual meeting is illegal because its decision was made defying the president himself,” said Ghimire. Vice-president Binod Mainali—also a nominated member of NSC board—is said to be exercising his political reach to claim presidency from the Pyakurel faction.

NSC Member Secretary Keshav Bista said the general assembly had no validity. “We are not against election as it is the right of every association. But a limited number of people in CAN are not following the procedures required

to carry on with it. We don’t deem it valid,” said Bista adding the sports’ governing body had directed

CAN to call off the annual meeting. NSC’s decision of not sending representatives has also cast serious doubt over a possible election of CAN. Pyakurel claimed that the assembly was attended by around 71 representatives out of 81 but Ghimire said the number was far lesser.

The assembly continues on Tuesday. Pyakurel, meanwhile, made public his report during the closed session. Treasurer Raju Babu Shrestha put forward a budget of Rs 10.3 million for 2016.