By Express News Service
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, said she was shocked by former captain of Indian cricket team Sourav Ganguly’s removal as the president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
“Sourav is the country’s pride. He was given the responsibility of the board president for three years and he served that role very well. We do not know why then after completing the term, he was removed and Amit Shah’s son (Jay Shah) has remained there. We have no problem with him remaining as the secretary of BCCI but we want to know why Sourav was removed,” she said after landing at Bagdogra airport on her four-day north Bengal visit.
Mamata also stated that she would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow Ganguly to contest for the International Cricket Council (ICC) president. “This is my humble regards and request to the Prime Minister to allow him (Ganguly) to contest in ICC. He is being deprived. What was his fault?” Mamata asked.
Trinamool Congress and CPM leaders in Kolkata have registered their strong protest against the decision.In May this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had dinner at Ganguly’s house, which was said to be a political move to induct the former cricketer in the saffron camp. Ganguly was close to former CPM minister Ashok Bhattacharya during the Left Front government and he is also known for his close proximity with Mamata.
Before the high-octane Assembly elections in 2021, as the BJP had made proclamations about giving the TMC a fight, Ganguly’s name had been thrown up as the probable chief ministerial candidate of the party. Ganguly, however, preferred to keep his cards close to his chest and did not respond.
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, said she was shocked by former captain of Indian cricket team Sourav Ganguly’s removal as the president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
“Sourav is the country’s pride. He was given the responsibility of the board president for three years and he served that role very well. We do not know why then after completing the term, he was removed and Amit Shah’s son (Jay Shah) has remained there. We have no problem with him remaining as the secretary of BCCI but we want to know why Sourav was removed,” she said after landing at Bagdogra airport on her four-day north Bengal visit.
Mamata also stated that she would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow Ganguly to contest for the International Cricket Council (ICC) president. “This is my humble regards and request to the Prime Minister to allow him (Ganguly) to contest in ICC. He is being deprived. What was his fault?” Mamata asked.
Trinamool Congress and CPM leaders in Kolkata have registered their strong protest against the decision.
In May this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had dinner at Ganguly’s house, which was said to be a political move to induct the former cricketer in the saffron camp. Ganguly was close to former CPM minister Ashok Bhattacharya during the Left Front government and he is also known for his close proximity with Mamata.
Before the high-octane Assembly elections in 2021, as the BJP had made proclamations about giving the TMC a fight, Ganguly’s name had been thrown up as the probable chief ministerial candidate of the party. Ganguly, however, preferred to keep his cards close to his chest and did not respond.
