TMC-BJP spar over Sourav Ganguly’s exit from BCCI

With Sourav Ganguly’s replacement as BCCI President becoming imminent, Ganguly has now become a flashpoint between Trinamool Congress and BJP, with both parties at loggerheads over the issue. While Trinamool Congress leadership claimed that Ganguly is a victim of “political vendetta” and Ganguly’s removal was “politically motivated” as Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son will continue to retain his post, BJP leadership, however, calls BCCI’s internal change and issues which are done following proper deliberations.

Trinamool Congress state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said on Tuesday, ” Sourav Ganguly did not join BJP-is that the reason behind the politics of his removal. BJP should explain it. We can also see that a senior BJP leader’s son retains his post even as the saffron party criticizes ‘parivartantra’.” The same did not apply for Sourav Ganguly and he is not retaining the post. Bengal’s people and cricket lover’s saw that Sourav was removed while BJP leader’s son still stays in the post.”

In a scathing attack, Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen criticized the move as “political vendetta” and questioned if Sourav Ganguly’s fault lies that he is a resident of Mamata Banerjee’s state. Taking to twitter, Sen said, “Another example of political vendetta. Son of @AmitShah can be retained as Secretary of #BCCI. But @SGanguly99 can’t be. Is it because he is from the State of @MamataOfficial or he didn’t join @BJP4India? We are with you Dada!”

Some experts believe that Sourav Ganguly is caught between the political crossroads of Trinamool Congress and BJP. Ganguly had reportedly refused to become the face of BJP in Bengal ahead of 2021 Bengal assembly polls. However, he is known to have shared a cordial relationship with the central BJP leaders and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other party leaders had dinner at Ganguly’s residence few months back early this year in Kolkata during Shah’s last visit to Bengal, sparking speculations. Ganguly is believed to keep good relations with Trinamool Congress as well. However, he distances himself from politics, people in the know told ET.

Asked about Ganguly, BJP chief spokesperson Shamik Bhatatcharya said, “We should not discuss this kind of debates as it will be an insult to Sourav Ganguly as a cricketer. BJP has its own ideology and does resort to such petty things.”

former minister and veteran CPIM leader Ashok Bhattacharya, with whom Ganguly shared a close relationship for decades, said, “Politics should not influence the field of games. We want Sourav to stay away from politics. He should be the BCCI President and want to see him as ICC President also.”

Roger Binny is likely to replace Sourav Ganguly as BCCI president while Jay Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, will continue as BCCI Secretary for his second consecutive term. BJP National Vice-President Dilip Ghosh said, “Change is the normal course of life. This kind of change happens in every organization. I want to ask the Trinamool leaders-what have they done for Sourav Ganguly? Did they have any contribution when Ganguly became the BCCI President?”