E-Paper
'Sourav Ganguly deprived to secure…': Mamata Banerjee attacks BJP over ICC poll
“Sourav Ganguly was deprived of the BCCI’s nomination to fight ICC chief’s election. He was deprived to secure someone else’s interests; it was a shameless political vendetta,” Mamata Banerjee told reporters.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday once again batted for former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and targeted the BJP-led central government for allegedly depriving him by not nominating him for the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman's post, describing it as a "shameless political vendetta".
“Sourav Ganguly was deprived of the BCCI’s nomination to fight ICC chief’s election. He was deprived to secure someone else’s interests; it was a shameless political vendetta,” Banerjee told reporters.
“Why was he not allowed to contest the ICC elections? I had requested so many people in the BJP government. He has been deprived… What was the reason behind this?” she added.
Earlier this week, the Trinamool Congress supremo had expressed shock over Ganguly's "removal" as BCCI president and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention so that he was allowed to contest the elections for ICC head.
Roger Binny, a 1983 World Cup-winning squad member, has been elected as the 36th president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), taking over from Ganguly. However, the BCCI's annual general meeting on Tuesday concluded without discussing the ICC election.
One of the finest batters of his generation, Ganguly served the BCCI as the board president for three years.
Extending his best wishes to the newly appointed BCCI chief, Ganguly earlier said the new office-bearers are committed to taking the legacy forward. Sharing his first reaction after being replaced by Binny at the BCCI, the outgoing president asserted that the apex cricket board of India is in great hands.
“I wish Roger (Binny) all the best. The new group will take this forward. BCCI is in great hands. Indian cricket is strong so I wish them all the luck,” Ganguly told news agency ANI on Tuesday. Ganguly's remarks have come at a time when BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed that Rohit Sharma-led Team India will not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023.
