Mamata says 'not easy to stop Ganguly from becoming ICC President'
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again threw her weight behind Sourav Ganguly, saying the former India captain should have been the International Cricket Council president by now and warned, in her trademark style that "it's not that easy to stop him."
Speaking at the felicitation ceremony of World Cup winner Richa Ghosh at Eden Gardens on Saturday, the Chief Minister lauded both Ganguly and the young cricketer, before veering into a familiar subject that has long stirred controversy.
"We always wanted Ganguly to remain India's captain for a long time," Mamata said.
"There’s one more thing I must say -- Ganguly might feel bad if I say this, but I'm a little outspoken and always speak the unpleasant truth; I've never been able to change that.
"Who was supposed to be the ICC president today? None other than Sourav Ganguly. He may not have become one now, but I strongly believe that one day he definitely will. It's not that easy to stop him."
The ICC chair post is currently held by Jay Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who became the youngest-ever ICC chairman in December 2024, following a four-year tenure as BCCI secretary.
Shah's elevation to the global post came two years after Ganguly was replaced as BCCI president by Roger Binny in October 2022, ending his three-year stint at the helm of Indian cricket's governing body.
Ganguly and Shah had worked together in the BCCI from October 2019 to September 2022, during which the former skipper's administrative term was widely viewed as steady but politically fraught.
While reports then suggested power dynamics within the Board and the government's influence may have played a role in Ganguly's exit, both Ganguly and Shah have publicly maintained cordial relations.
Incidentally in October 2022, soon after Ganguly's removal from the BCCI presidency, Mamata had come out in strong support of him, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the former India captain to contest elections for the ICC post.
At the time, the Trinamool Congress supremo had pointedly asked why "Amit Babu's (Amit Shah's) son has been retained in the BCCI' while Ganguly had been denied a second term.
One of India's most iconic cricket captains, Ganguly took charge of the national team in 2000 in the aftermath of the match-fixing scandal and led India to a new era of competitiveness and self-belief.
He captained India in 49 Tests, winning 21, and in 147 ODIs, guiding the team to 76 victories.
After his retirement in 2008, Ganguly transitioned smoothly into cricket administration. In 2015, he became president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, and four years later, on October 23, 2019, he officially took over as president of the BCCI.
Having stepped away from national administration, Ganguly returned to the CAB presidency in September this year, marking a comeback to his home turf after six years.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
