Mumbai, Oct 13 (PTI): Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who had filed his nomination to contest for the presidentship of the Mumbai Cricket Association at its biennial election on October 18, on Saturday suffered a huge setback as his application was rejected on the basis of the residential criteria.

According to MCA rules, only a resident of Mumbai can become a governing member of the cricket body and Munde now has two days' time to appeal to the Association.

Friday was the last day for filing the nominations and on Saturday the forms were scrutinised.

"His application was rejected as the address on his electoral registration was Beed. He can appeal before October 15," MCA joint secretary Nitin Dalal said.

This leaves only Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in the fray for the presidentship, and interestingly Pawar had faced a similar dilemma in 2011.

Pawar was disqualified from contesting the elections in 2011, since he was listed as a resident of Baramati and not Mumbai.

The NCP chief had changed his address this year in the electoral registration to comply with the MCA norms.

A local club, Stylo Cricket Club from Mazgaon, had forwarded Munde's name to MCA last month saying the former Deputy chief minister of Maharashtra would represent it at the election.

According to rules, a candidate needs representation of an MCA-affiliated club to contest polls.

The interest in the election had shot up when the Mazgaon Cricket Club sent a letter to the association, saying Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who belongs to Congress, would represent the club.