The West Bengal Assembly election dates have been announced for 2021. The BJP had revved up its election engine in full throttle and was confident of a win. The party seemed to the media and political observers to form a government, dethroning the Trinamool government. However, BJP lacked all the right ingredients, save a crucial one, a CM face. Every leader in the State BJP aspired to be the CM, led by the then State party president Dilip Ghosh.
Many names floated in the political circles with a Swamiji from Ramakrishna Mutt, Varanasi, Mithun Chakravorty, a former Bollywood star, and Sourav Ganguly, the former Cricketer. RKM stood firm in keeping away from politics, and Mithun’s health was a bother, as Sourav was pitched as the BJP’s CM face. Sourav, fondly called Maharaj by the masses, got on with one and all leaders from every party. After all, Cricket was the universal religion of India.
The pressure on Sourav was heavy not to accept the BJP offer. I believe(!), he suffered from a heart condition and had to undergo surgery at Woodland. After discharge, Sourav excused himself from politics. However, his post-assembly elections activities do not evidence any serious impairment as the doctors must have repaired all ailments. Maharaj was back in form.
Sourav seemed to be happy with the BCCI presidentship under the able colleagueship of Jay Shah, the son of Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister. The BJP party seemed to have forgiven Sourav, though being the single important factor for their poll debacle in 2021 and were looking forward to the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. However, Amit Shah, with a host of BJP officials, Amit Malviya, the BJP IT cell chief, Sukanta Majumdar, the State BJP President and a few others visited Sourav’s home and dined there. The statement was too strong, prompting the Cricketer to visit Nabanna, clarify things, and make his presence adjacent to the CM on a few occasions riling the BJP.
BCCI regulations do not permit a second term for the president, but the Supreme Court granted a one-time waiver from this rule. So Sourav was sure to get reelected for a second term. However, Sourav’s dilly-dallying may not have gone well with the ruling party who pulled the carpet from under him. They did that unceremoniously, replacing Ganguli with Roger Binny, another cricketer. While his credentials of Binny could be strong, the way Sourav was shown the door shows the hardening stance of the BJP.
Even as a past director of the ICC, Sourav can be nominated for the ICC presidential election in November 2022. The present president Greg Barclay is eligible for re-election and has expressed his willingness. Whether Sourav will be nominated by the BCCI, read Shah, is a question which has no answers now.
Meanwhile, if the Trinamool leaders are blaming the BJP for politicking the sports body, the State BJP claims that no single face is important for their party, including Sourav’s.
If anyone can spill the beans, it is Sourav, who may wait until the BCCI declares the ICC President elections nominations.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
