SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, April 19: The long-standing internal conflict within the All Jharkhand Chess Association (AJCA) flared up again as ex-general secretary, International Master (IM) Neeraj Kumar Mishra, and state coordinator Prabhat Ranjan Kumar engaged in a public bickering on social media.
The dispute, which had been dormant for some time, reignited following a Facebook post by Mishra, who resigned from his position in December 2022. He expressed concern over the decline of chess activities in Jharkhand and indirectly questioned the ability of the current general secretary, Manish Kumar, to effectively manage the association.
Ex-Secretary Criticizes Current Leadership; Coordinator Defends
In response to Mishra’s post, Prabhat Ranjan Kumar fired back on Facebook, defending Manish Kumar and criticizing Mishra’s tenure as secretary. “I respect you as a player and coach, but in my opinion, you were a failed secretary,” Prabhat Ranjan wrote, adding that Mishra spent more time criticizing others rather than acknowledging their efforts.
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The coordinator also accused Mishra of failing to organize even a district championship in four years during his tenure as secretary of the Dhanbad Chess Association. He highlighted that under Manish Kumar’s leadership, 311 players participated in the state championship, while only 163 players participated under Mishra’s tenure.
Dispute Traced Back to Hazaribagh Tournament Cancellation
The conflict between Neeraj Mishra and Prabhat Ranjan began after the cancellation of the Hazaribagh All India FIDE Chess Tournament in August 2024. Hazaribagh District Chess Association President VK Singh, also AJCA’s vice-president, blamed the non-cooperation of Manish Kumar and Joint Secretary Deepak Kumar for the tournament’s cancellation.
The situation escalated when Singh, in an internal WhatsApp group, accused Deepak Kumar and Manish Kumar of not facilitating the necessary tournament code from the national body, particularly after Singh refused to make Deepak Kumar the chief arbiter.
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Mishra Supports Allegations; Previous Clashes Resurface
Neeraj Mishra, now residing outside Jharkhand, had then voiced his concern over the allegations posted by VK Singh in the WhatsApp group. He sided with Singh’s accusations against the state office bearers, further intensifying the rift.
Prabhat Ranjan, considered a member of the state president Pradeep Verma (MP) group, swiftly responded on Facebook, continuing the public feud. The conflict isn’t new, as both Mishra and Ranjan previously clashed in 2019. Despite Ranjan’s resignation as coordinator, his position was reaffirmed by President Pradeep Verma, setting the stage for their ongoing disagreements.
