Is Sourav Ganguly Entering West Bengal Politics: Report (Image:Instagram/Sourav Ganguly)
Sourav Ganguly and his entry into politics is a crucial topic for the Indian discussion rounds now. Being named as the ‘Bengal’s brand ambassador’ by the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Saurav Ganguly’s entry into the serious political sphere is worth looking into. He was seen with the BJP top brass in the pre-2021 Assembly poll days but now with their rival group, the Trinamool Congress.
Sourav Ganguly is the former President of Board of Control for Cricket in India. Popularly known as the Maharaja of Indian Cricket, he served as the Indian national cricket team captain. He is regarded as one of India’s most successful cricket captains.
It was earlier this week, the Chief Minister of West Bengal and the All India Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee named Sourav Ganguly as the state’s brand ambassador. “You cannot say no”, Ms Banerjee told the former captain on Tuesday at the Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata. To that Mr Ganguly replied a “thank you”.
“Will he pad up for Mamata?”, a report by the Print raised the crucial question. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are pivotal for all the national parties in India and the candidature of Mr Ganguly had been the dream of all of them for years. One among is the CPI(M) and the party would have “loved to have fielded him if he had given the nod”. During most of the CPI(M)’s tenure in Bengal, Mr Ganguly was actively playing on the ground.
But in 2021, ahead of the assembly election, he was a cricket administrator – BCCI president and working with secretary Jay Shah, son of Home Minister Amit Shah. By the appointment BJP made it crystal clear that Mr Ganguly could be made the Chief Minister of Bengal if he wished or demanded. While he met a mild heart attack and went admitted in a hospital, all the major national leader came to enquire about his well-being, either directly or indirectly, including Mamata Banerjee, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah.
The BJP really wanted Mr Ganguly to field against Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal but now things are turning upside down – still confusing. He is a “striking political balance” these days. Even though BJP lost its majority in West Bengal, they continued ties with Mr Ganguly. At the same time, he keeps good relation with Mamata and said that he was “very close to her”, in a public function.
