Didi is on Workforce Dada. In the present day, Mamata Banerjee, generally known as “Didi” on her dwelling turf of Bengal, has mentioned she appeals to the Prime Minister to train an intervention in help of Sourav Ganguly aka “Dada”.
The problem is that this: Sourav Ganguly, 50, has been refused a second time period because the boss of the super-powerful BCCI or Board of Management for Cricket in India. Mamata Banerjee says “the satisfaction of Bengal” being dropped is “a matter of disgrace.” Subsequently, she says, Sourav Ganguly needs to be allowed to contest the election for Worldwide Cricket Council, the globe’s prime governing physique for the game. As a way to try this, Ganguly must be endorsed by the BCCI. After the falling out, until Modi intervenes, as requested for by Mamata Banerjee, the BCCI is in contrast to to endorse him.
Sports activities is simply the quilt. Dada has change into the most recent proxy battle between Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Behind the scenes likes a juicy mixture of cricket, fame and naked knuckles struggle.
The widespread perception is that Sourav Ganguly is being punished by the BJP as a result of he spurned its overtures to enroll as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the Bengal election earlier this yr. That election was gained spectacularly by Mamata Banerjee. Each she and her celebration make the purpose that Sourav Ganguly was allowed a three-year extension as chief of BCCI by the Supreme Courtroom – with that, his time period would finish on October 23. The identical extension was allowed to Jay Shah, BCCI treasurer and son of Residence Minister Amit Shah. If Jay Shah can proceed in workplace, Workforce Trinamool argues, why not Sourav Ganguly? The BCCI is presently just about run by the BJP with prime posts of Secretary & IPL Chief belonging to shut kin of the celebration’s cupboard ministers.
It is a traditional case of dynasty privilege, or “parivarvaad”, mentioned Derek O’ Brien, a Trinamool MP, talking to me for this column. He mentioned he echoed a poster he had shared on social media which was snarky about Shah and Arun Singh Dhumal, brother of Sports activities Minister Anurag Thakur.
I’m Jay Shah, as soon as extra changing into @BCCI secretary. My papa is Union Residence Minister @AmitShah
I’m Arun Singh Dhumal, new Chairman of IPL. My elder bhaiya is Union Sports activities Minister @ianuragthakur
We’re examples👇of BJP’s ParivarVaad mukt Bharat & @narendramodi ‘s DYNASTS CLUB pic.twitter.com/Lcgp69y6pn
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) October 12, 2022
Derek O’ Brien known as Sourav Ganguly a cricket legend and mentioned he has been unfairly handled by the BJP. Amit Shah, who has been essentially the most senior BJP chief attacking the Trinamool, primarily on corruption fees,is now seeing retaliation from the Trinamool’s red-flagging of his son’s place within the BCCI.
For this column, I spoke to a cross-section of BJP and Trinamool leaders who have been unanimous that “issues had soured between Ganguly and the BJP not too long ago”. That is additionally obvious within the timeline because the BCCI, only a month in the past, had approached the Supreme Courtroom to permit its prime functionaries together with Shah and Ganguly to proceed for a second time period with out the necessary cooling off interval of three yearsthat’s required. From that to eradicating Sourav Ganguly is a big leap in a really brief time.
BJP leaders affirm that Amit Shah noticed in Sourav Ganguly an icon in West Bengal to struggle towards Mamata Banerjee or simply be a star campaigner for the BJP within the election this yr. As discuss was rising of his becoming a member of the BJP, Sourav Ganguly suffered a light coronary heart assault and was hospitalised.
Ashok Bhattacharya, a senior CPI(M) chief who’s a long-time Ganguly pal, had on the time said that the BJP was pressuring Ganguly to affix the celebration. The implication was clear – that the stress had made Dada very sick.
On a current journey to Kolkata, Amit Shah had dinner at Sourav Ganguly’s dwelling with different BJP leaders. Sources near Sourav Ganguly say that leaders from the BJP in Bengal tried to get him to sentence violence towards BJP staff however he refused to oblige, making it clear that he isn’t . The Amit Shah model of the BJP just isn’t used to political stonewalling and Sourav Ganguly’s refusal to become involved reportedly upset some leaders. “It was Ganguly’s dream to be BCCI president and if the BJP had not supported him, it might by no means have occurred. He performed together with us until he obtained the job however would not decide to something political in any respect. This upset our senior leaders,” mentioned a BJP chief who has labored in Bengal. Sources say the breaking level was reached at a midnight assembly at Amit Shah’s Delhi dwelling final week when N. Srinivasan, former President of the BCCI, complained about “non-performance” by Sourav Ganguly and obtained a receptive listening to.
A choice was apparently taken to drop Sourav Ganguly because the BCCI chief. Given cricket’s standing within the nation – and the type of cash it drives – it’s fated to be political floor. Check out this record. Jay Shah as BCCI Secretary; Rajiv Shukla, Congress Rajya Sabha MP, set to retain his publish as Vice President; Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar will change into Treasurer, changing the Sports activities Minister’s brother, who will now head the IPL; Assam Cricket Affiliation’s Secretary, Devajit Saikia, who’s extraordinarily near Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, would be the BCCI’s new Joint Secretary.
Suvendu Adhikari, BJP chief, mentioned if Mamata Banerjee is so involved about Sourav Ganguly, she ought to make him the model ambassador of West Bengal, a task held by famous person Shah Rukh Khan for years. Derek O’ Brien’s response: “We will have two model ambassadors. What is the large deal”.
(Swati Chaturvedi is an creator and a journalist who has labored with The Indian Categorical, The Statesman and The Hindustan Instances.)
Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the creator.
