West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requests PM Narendra Modi to ‘allow’ Sourav Ganguly to contest for ICC President

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will step down from his position as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president later this week when former India all-rounder Roger Binny takes over. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son will continue to be the BCCI secretary but Ganguly is set to contest for Cricket Association of Bengal elections.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee on Monday (October 17), spoke out in support of Ganguly, requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to help Ganguly become the next ICC president.

“The world is proud of Sourav Ganguly. He was proved himself as a player and he had been good administrator in the BCCI as the president. Sourav and Amit Shah’s son was given a three-year tenure. But I’m surprised that Amit Shah’s son tenure didn’t end but Sourav’s did. Though I have no problem with Amit Shah’s son, he’s a kid. Why was Sourav removed like this? This was unfair to him. You can only compensate this,” Mamta Banerjee said about Ganguly on Monday.

“I request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer ICC’s President post to Sourav Ganguly.  Sourav is entitled to go to BCCI. My humble regards to the Prime Minister and request him to allow Sourav to contest the ICC elections. Why was Sourav deprived? What was his fault? Everyone in the country & world knows him. I am shocked to see how he has been deprived. Don’t take this politically and vindictively. He’s not a politician. Take decision for him and cricket,” she added.

#Watch: #WestBengal CM #MamataBanerjee appeals to Prime Minister #NarendraModi to allow #SouravGanguly to contest ICC elections. Says, "I appeal to Prime Minister to allow Sourav to contest the ICC elections. Don't take this politically & vindictively. He's not a politician." pic.twitter.com/0ptl3FI8Fj

— Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) October 17, 2022

Ganguly, who had to step down from the BCCI president's post as there is no precedence of anyone continuing in the top job for more than three years, had been the CAB president for four years between 2015 to 2019 before coming to the apex body.

“Yes, I will be contesting the CAB polls. I plan to file my nomination on October 22. I have been in CAB for five years and as per Lodha rules, I can continue for another four years,” Ganguly told PTI. There was a strong buzz that Ganguly’s elder brother Snehasish would contest in place of Avishek Dalmiya for the top post, but the former India player’s nomination changes a lot of equations. “I will finalise my panel on October 20. Let’s see,” Ganguly said.