Sourav Ganguly's reported BCCI exit sparks TMC-BJP war of words

Ganguly's likely exit from the world's richest cricket board has triggered a war of words between the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC), which runs the outgoing BCCI chief's home state West Bengal.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen tweeted, "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!"

Countering the allegation, BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh said, "Did anyone from BJP propose any name? I have no knowledge despite being the party president here and also continuing in a different capacity."

"Did anyone else appoint Sourav Ganguly as the BCCI president? Why didn't they raise the demand? In that case, they should thank the ones who helped him (Sourav Ganguly) to become."

The Left too has lashed out at the saffron camp, which is perceived to have control over the national cricket, over Ganguly's exit.

CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty said, "Sourav Ganguly has been removed because he is not BJP's choice. For the BJP, Jay Shah can continue as an administrator but not Sourav Ganguly... Be it Indian football or cricket, the BJP wants to gain control over all."

Ganguly's appointment as the BJP chief in 2019 had triggered massive speculations over his joining in the BJP before the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, where the saffron camp threw everything to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's TMC.

Even in the recent past, Union Home Minister and BJP top leader Amit Shah paid a visit to Ganguly's Behala residence in Kolkata.