Kolkata: Sourav Ganguly is a frustrated man as he feels everything he does gets politicised.
A day after the former Team India captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president was appointed brand ambassador of BJP-helmed Tripura tourism, the saffron party accused Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal government of not giving him his due, demanded Ganguly be appointed as Sheriff of Kolkata.
“Why does everything get political? Amitabh Bachchan has a contract with Gujarat, Shah Rukh Khan with Bengal, Sachin Tendulkar with Kerala, Rishabh Pant with Uttarakhand, MS Dhoni with Jharkhand. Why politicise everything? It’s very disappointing.” Ganguly said.
The ‘tug-of-war’ over Ganguly between TMC and BJP is nothing new.
After Roger Binny replaced Ganguly as BCCI president last year, West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the ‘removal’ of Dada, as he is popularly called. TMC claimed it was a ‘political vendetta’ and accused BJP of trying to ‘humiliate’ Bengal’s cricketing icon as he didn’t join their party.
Over the last decade, there have been speculations over Ganguly joining Trinamool and BJP, but Dada has steered clear of taking the political plunge.
“I always lead a straightforward life. The (Tripura) work will be promoting tourist spots. Nothing has been finalised yet. But everything got political. Not only this. Whatever I do, it gets politicised,” Ganguly said.
Emphasising his personal connection with Tripura cricket, having played there in 1990, Ganguly urged people not to twist his words or give his activities a “different angle.”
He also reaffirmed love for his home state and mentioned the immense support he has received from people of the region, requesting political figures to refrain from making it a political issue.
