Loser Goyal files suit claiming the results were rigged

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AD ASSOCIATION ELECTION

By Vilasini Roy

DENTSU INDIA Chairman Sandeep Goyal has filed a civil suit in the Bombay High Court against the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI). Goyal, who contested the election for president of the AAAI, and lost by a tight 46-48 vote, claims the results were manipulated. Nagesh Alai, the association’s former vice-president, and executive director of Interface Communications, is the new president.

Goyal’s campaign, which had promised drastic changes and vowed to make the AAAI more than just a “big boys’ club”, was billed as a battle of “status challengers versus status quoists.” Meanwhile, Rajesh Aggarwal of Dentsu Marcom has filed a second suit along the same lines, alleging malpractices. He contested and lost the election for a position in the executive committee by a single vote. But for now, neither the AAAI nor Aggarwal and Goyal, are talking, because the matter is sub-judice.

The AAAI has been mired in controversy for some time now. The failure of the annual Goafest (several agencies backed out claiming the awards were rigged), the bad press it got because of its alleged lack of accountability, and Goyal’s campaign claims that the association was losing its relevance, plagued it all of last year.

After hearing out both sides, the court passed an interim order saying no decisions taken at the meeting of the executive committee on 13 August should be implemented till 9 September.

Photo: Deepak Salvi

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