ICC poll: Sourav deprived to secure someone else's interests, claims Mamata

Banerjee, who said she would have spoken out on the issue even if master batsman Sachin Tendulkar was similarly deprived, alleged that Ganguly was deprived of the chance to fight the election to secure someone else's interests.

Kolkata:West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday targeted her guns on the BJP-led Central government for allegedly depriving former Indian cricket skipper Sourav Ganguly by not nominating him for the ICC chairman's post, terming it an act of "shameless political vendetta".

Banerjee, who said she would have spoken out on the issue even if master batsman Sachin Tendulkar was similarly deprived, alleged that Ganguly was deprived of the chance to fight the election to secure someone else's interests. "Why was he not sent to ICC? It is to secure someone's interest (in the cricket board). I had spoken to various BJP leaders, but he was not allowed. He has been deprived.... This is a shameful political vendetta," she told reporters here.

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Earlier this week, the TMC boss expressed shock over Ganguly's "removal" as BCCI President and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention so that he is allowed to contest the elections for International Cricket Council head. Roger Binny, a 1983 World Cup-winning squad member, has been elected as the 36th president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), taking over from Ganguly. However, the sports body's AGM on Tuesday concluded without discussing the ICC election. (PTI)