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Tripura CM Manik Saha expressed confidence that Sourav Ganguly’s participation in the campaigns would give an impetus to the state’s tourism sector. (AFP Image)
The rumours assume significance considering the sequence of events that took place before 2021 Bengal elections. Here’s what happened:
Cricket icon and former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has been appointed the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism. The announcement came after Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury travelled to Kolkata to meet ‘dada‘ at his residence.
Chief minister Manik Saha too dialled Ganguly to offer him the position, and expressed confidence that his participation in the campaigns would give an impetus to the state’s tourism sector.
“It’s a matter of great pride that former captain of Indian cricket team Sourav Ganguly has accepted our proposal to be the Brand Ambassador of Tripura Tourism,” Saha said in a Facebook post.
Sourav Ganguly and BJP Connection
As soon as it was revealed that Ganguly will be the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism, celebrations began at the Bharatiya Janata Party office in West Bengal’s Hugli, leading to speculations if cricket icon’s selection and distribution of sweets by BJP had a connection.
The rumours assumed significance considering the sequence of events that took place before 2021 Bengal elections. Here’s what happened:
• A day after Ganguly was appointed BCCI president in 2019, speculations began in Bengal that dada will join the saffron camp and will directly fight against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
• The rumours said that Ganguly will join active politics and will become the face of BJP.
• In 2021, when the former BCCI president suffered a “mild heart attack” and underwent a “quick primary angioplasty”, Union home minister Amit Shah visited him. Later, Shah and a team of BJP leaders went to dada‘s residence for dinner.
• During 2021 polls, the political rumours mills were full of speculation that dada was leaning towards saffron camp. However, the speculations were cleared when Ganguly did not join the BJP.
• When Ganguly’s tenure as BCCI president was completed and it was not renewed, TMC had claimed that dada could not hold the post for long as he did not join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Trinamool Congress lawmaker Santanu Sen had also tweeted that dada lost the position because of politics.
Sourav Ganguly and the TMC
After 2021, another round of speculations began when Ganguly was seen meeting Mamata Banerjee.
• When Bengal reached out to the United Nation for heritage status for Durga Puja, a huge ceremony was organised and dada was the main guest whom Banerjee invited on stage.
• Ganguly recently also got Z class security.
What’s Sourav Ganguly Political Status Now?
The political circle had started believing that the cordial relationship between Ganguly and BJP had ended. However, a BJP leader told News18, “Now that he has become the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism, it shows that he still shares good relations with the party. And this is a great news.”
“Dada’s new selection is a proud moment for all of us. But it is also sad that the iconic cricketer, who made Bengal proud, was never made the brand ambassador of Bengal by Mamata Banerjee,” Indranil Khan, BJP Bengal Yuva Morcha president, said.
The TMC has not reacted to the announcement so far. Sources said that they are keeping a close eye on the situation. Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly’s team expressed unhappiness over media speculation.
People close to the cricketer said, “There is no controversy on Amitabh Bachchan and other stars being brand ambassadors of a state. Then why speculate on Ganguly’s role?”
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