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‘Don’t do politics’: Mamata targets BJP amid row over Ganguly’s BCCI tenure
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said she would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow Ganguly to contest election for International Cricket Council (ICC) chief later this month.
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she was shocked that former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly was “deprived” of a second term as Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and urged the Centre not to do politics on the matter.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said she would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow Ganguly to contest election for International Cricket Council (ICC) chief later this month.
Also Read: Sourav Ganguly exits BCCI stage, Roger Binny steps up
“Why is he (Ganguly) being deprived (of another term as BCCI chief)? What is his fault? Everybody knows him. Every nation which plays cricket knows him. The world knows him. We are proud of him. He is a pride for the country. He is a popular figure. Is that why he is being deprived? I am really shocked,” she said.
“Sourav has proved himself to be an able administrator... This was injustice meted out to him,” she added.
The chief minister was speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport before leaving for a trip to north Bengal when she made the remarks.
“I request the Government of India not to make any decision politically but for cricket and sports. Ganguly is not a political party member. Take a decision for (betterment of) cricket and the sports,” she said.
Also Read: Sourav Ganguly set to return as CAB president
Banerjee said she would request Modi to allow Ganguly to contest the ICC elections.“I will request the Prime Minister to ensure that Ganguly is allowed to contest elections for ICC chief. He is being deprived,” she said.
A political row erupted last week over Ganguly’s exit as BCCI chief after the TMC accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “trying to humiliate” the former India skipper for not joining the BJP. Alleging political vendetta against Ganguly, the TMC also attacked the BJP over continuation of Jay Shah, son of Union home minister Amit Shah, as BCCI secretary.
The BJP slammed the TMC for politicising the matter and also dismissed allegations that it was trying to rope in Ganguly in the run up to the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections.
Banerjee said she wondered why Jay Shah was allowed to continue with his role while Ganguly had to exit from the BCCI.
Also Read: TMC, BJP tussle over Sourav Ganguly
Referring to a Supreme Court order allowing significant amendments to the Constitution of BCCI, chiefly related to consecutive terms of office bearers and the cooling-off period between terms in office, Banerjee said: “The (Supreme) Court had allowed Sourav and Shah to continue for three years. I don’t know why Amit Shah’s son stayed back on board and Ganguly had to exit.”
“I don’t have anything to say if Jay Shah continues. I am not in the BJP that I will criticise him. If anybody does good, I will support, else I will pull up. But why was Sourav dropped? We want to know,” she added.
The BJP alleged it is the TMC who is politicising the matter.
“The TMC, by dragging Ganguly into politics, is in turn tarnishing his image and stature. We don’t want to unnecessarily get into this politics. If they have so much love for Ganguly, then why was (Bollywood actor) Shah Rukh Khan made the brand ambassador of West Bengal instead of Ganguly? The TMC is just trying to divert the burning issues of the state,” party spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
1983 World Cup winner Roger Binny is set to replace Ganguly as BCCI chief as he was the only one who filed his nomination for the post of president last Tuesday. Ganguly, meanwhile, is set to contest for the post of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president.
