KOLKATA — West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, launched a scathing attack on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the “unceremonious” exit of Sourav Ganguly as its president.
“Injustice has been meted out to him, while Jay Shah, Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son, will continue as the board secretary. I have no objection to that. But Sourav Ganguly too should have the opportunity to continue as the BCCI president,” the chief minister told mediapersons at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport before leaving for north Bengal on an official visit.
As an alternative she suggested that Sourav Ganguly should be allowed to contest for the chairmanship of International Cricket Council (ICC). “Previously, we have seen Jagmohan Dalmia in that chair. There is no question of politics here. Sourav Ganguly is not a politician. He can move along with everybody. So, for the sake of the development of Indian cricket he should be given a chance to represent India in the ICC. If necessary, I will speak to the Prime Minister on this issue,” the chief minister said.
She also said that she was really shocked to hear about Ganguly’s exit from BCCI.
Politicians from West Bengal alleged that the former batsman Ganguly was forced out of cricket Board for refusing to join the ruling political party BJP.
It was a “political vendetta” by the government, opposition lawmaker Santanu Sen had tweeted.
Ganguly’s political allegiance has been a regular source of media speculation in recent months and the country’s home minister Amit Shah visited him at home earlier this year.
Reacting to the chief minister’s comments, BJP’s state spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said that it is the chief minister and Trinamool Congress who are politicising the issue. “No one ever before continued as the BCCI president for two consecutive terms. There is no politics in the matter,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ganguly himself has already announced that he will be contesting for the post of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president which is scheduled on October 31. On the same day there will be the annual general meeting of CAB.
On October 13, participating at a function of Bandhan Bank, where he is the brand ambassador now, Ganguly broke his silence on his forthcoming exit from the BCCI President’s chair and said that all have to face rejections some time or the other.
“No one can continue as the administrator throughout his life. All have to face rejections some time or the other. When you look at quick success it never happens. Remember, one does not become Narendra Modi or Sachin Tendulkar or an Ambani overnight,” he had said. — IANS (Inputs added)