Giant-killer Sanjay Dixit said his victory over Lalit Modi in the Rajasthan Cricket Association election was a result of a 'negative' vote. "Beating Modi was easy in the sense that he was autocratic in his functioning," the new RCA president said. "He was a law unto himself. He was trying to act like God. He would do everything with unscrupulous means and with money power. He was running a mighty empire, which was full of money, power, pelf and horse trading. He had a very aggressive legal strategy."

The bureaucrat from Rajasthan said the BCCI vice-president's style of functioning was crooked. "He believed in profit for himself and friends. Everybody else can go to hell." However, Dixit ruled out initiating a probe against Modi. "I'm not in favour of a witch-hunt. If some specific instances of corruption come to the light, then the law will take its own course."

Dixit said Modi was all hype. "The media has given him the sobriquet that he is a powerful man in world cricket. In reality, he was all hype and hoopla. He promised to produce five Test cricketers from the State. The state team is languishing in the Plate League. There are not even five zonal cricketers from Rajasthan."

The new RCA president did not foresee trouble in dealing with Modi with regard to IPL matches in Jaipur. "I have no issues working with Modi. The RCA is a cricketing unit and anything to do with cricket, we will be there."

Dixit also clarified that he would not have problems with Modi continuing as the vice-president of the BCCI. "He is representing the Central Zone in BCCI. The BCCI rules work very differently. This defeat, according to me, will have no immediate bearing on his vice-presidency."

The one-time friend of Modi said he parted ways with the chairman of the IPL because of Modi's 'autocratic' style. "We worked together once upon a time. But I have democratic tendencies and he had autocratic tendencies. Beyond a level it was not possible for me to work with him." Dixit agreed that Modi had created some good infrastructure in Jaipur.

The RCA chief rubbished the allegation that he won because of the Government's backing. "How can I be a government nominee. I'm an elected office bearer of the RCA for the past 15 years. In that capacity I contested and won fair and square. Was Modi not a Government nominee last time? It is a case of the pot calling the kettle black," he said.Lalit Modi