What does the ouster of Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd have to do the Suresh Kalmadi or the scandalous Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee that he heads?

The world’s largest PC maker lost no time in dismissing its chief executive for fudging expenses amounting to $20,000 (Rs. 9 lakh), though not for alleged sexual harassment, the original charge that sparked the investigation. It didn’t worry that the company would fall apart because of the exit of one person – even if it happened to be the CEO.  What HP has said with its decision is this: Nobody is indispensable to the company.

Contrast it with what has happened to Kalmadi and the debates surrounding the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee.

He’s tenaciously hanging on to his job while suspending his aides, and claiming that we will step down only if the Indian Olympic Association or the Congress Party (of which he is a member) chief Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ask him to? Obviously, that has not happened because neither the IOA nor the party and government leader shares accountability standards compared to HP.

In fact, even many of Kalmadi’s critics stand up for him in the belief – mistaken, in my opinion – that the Commonwealth Games can never be hosted, or hosted in time, in his absence. Some like Outlook Editor-in-chief have expressed the view that Kalmadi will be toast once the games are over, but until then, we will have to bear with him for fear that nobody else can run the multi-discipline event less than two months away.  Meanwhile, more skeletons keep tumbling out of the games cupboard. Clearly, some insider is leaking vital documents to The Times of India, among other media, suggesting that Kalmadi’s role in several of the financial dealings might be far more incriminating and direct.

Still, even though he may be responsible, probably even culpable, for the many wrongdoings in the committee, Kalmadi must stay. One might argue that Kalmadi has not been found guilty, and so should deserve the right to stay. But two of his aides were held to a different standard and summarily suspended. In fact, one of them, Joint Director General T S Darbari, was today dismissed, too.

Surprisingly, nobody has asked the converse of the argument that Kalmadi is indispensable. If he were so indispensable, and so able, why is the host in such a shabby state of preparedness? You could even make the argument that Kalmadi is a bad leader because he has not put in place an able and responsible team that can organize the games?

Let me sign off with a question: Do you think sacking Kalmadi and replacing him with suspended IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi will ensure the Commonwealth Games can he successfully hosted?