TMC lashes out at "political vendetta" amid buzz Saurav Ganguly sidelined for BCCI President; BJP says 'Dada' Bengal's pride

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 12 (ANI): Amid the buzz over ex-cricketer Roger Binny likely to replace Sourav Ganguly as chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Trinamool Congress (TMC) attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of attempting to humiliate the former Indian skipper since it had failed to induct him into the party.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen alleged political vendetta of the BJP behind the possible exit of Ganguly as BCCI president.
"Amit Shah visited Sourav Ganguly's house a few months ago. There is information that Ganguly was approached repeatedly to join BJP. Probably as he has not consented to join BJP and is from Bengal, he has become prey to political vendetta. Amit Shah's son was retained as BCCI secretary, but not Ganguly," Sen said.
Further, taking to Twitter, the TMC MP wrote, "Another example of political vendetta. Son of Amit Shah can be retained as Secretary of BCCI. But Sourav Ganguly can't be. Is it because he is from the State of Mamata Banerjee or he did not join BJP? We are with you Dada!"
Meanwhile, BJP MP and party state general secretary Locket Chatterjee slammed TMC for politicising the issue.
"Those who are criticizing Sourav Ganguly, look at your face in the mirror. Sourav Ganguly is the pride of our Bengal. It has nothing to do with politics. Sourav Ganguly will go higher in the coming days. Those who have criticized the family system, like pisi-bhaipo, Manik Bhattacharya, Paresh Adhikari, and Anubrata Mandal have done it for their family members. BJP does not believe in the family system," Chatterjee told ANI.
Pertinent to mention, in May this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly at his residence in Kolkata, West Bengal.
During the 2021 assembly elections, West Bengal witnessed a fierce political battle between the incumbent TMC and the BJP, the emerging force in the state. The TMC emerged victorious with 213 of the total 294 seats while the BJP managed to get 77 seats.
BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said on Tuesday that former cricketer Binny had filed the nomination for the post of board president and that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ashish Shelar has filed the nomination for treasurer and they are likely to be elected unopposed.
"I have filed nomination for the post of Vice President, Roger Binny has filed nomination for the President, Jay Shah has filed for Secretary and Ashish Shelar for Treasurer. As of now, the situation is that all will be appointed unopposed," said Shukla while interacting with the media.
Shukla said that India's representative for 16-member International Cricket Council (ICC) Board Chairman's post will be decided on October 18 in the board's Annual General Meeting. Former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah also said that nominations for all the posts have been filed.
"I do not think there will be an election," he added.
At a BCCI meeting held at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai on Tuesday, all office bearers from different parts of the country from various associations filed nominations for different positions on the board.
The discussions were held in the internal BCCI meeting in the lead-up to the elections, scheduled for October 18. Senior BCCI administrator Rajeev Shukla will remain the Vice-President of the board while Ashish Sellar is likely to take over as the new treasurer replacing Arun Dhumal.
Binny has previously served as a member of the BCCI selection committee. The former pacer Roger Binny is said to be the frontrunner to replace Ganguly as the BCCI president. Binny, 67, is currently president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
The scrutiny of the nominations will take place on October 13 and the candidates can withdraw their nominations latest by October 14.
Sourav Ganguly, the current President of BCCI, is tipped to be India's representative for the 16-member International Cricket Council (ICC) Board Chairman's post, elections for which are slated to be held this November. (ANI)