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

Ms. Banerjee wondered why Ganguly was not given a second term as Board of Control for Cricket in India chief even though Union Home Minister Amit Shah's Son Jay Shah was allowed a similar second stint as BCCI secretary.

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".

Ms. Banerjee, who said she would have spoken out on the issue even if master cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar or Mohammad Azharuddin were similarly deprived, alleged that Ganguly was robbed 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). They have kept the position vacant so that someone else can contest. 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.

Earlier this week, the TMC boss expressed shock over Ganguly's "removal" as BCCI President and had sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention so that the former India captain is allowed to contest the elections for International Cricket Council head.

"The BJP is depriving those who have brought laurels to the country for its own selfish motive. Had it been Sachin Tendulkar or Azharuddin, I would have supported them too in the interest of sports," said Ms. Banerjee who was union minister of state for sports in the early '90s.

Ms. Banerjee wondered why Ganguly was not given a second term as Board of Control for Cricket in India chief even though Union Home Minister Amit Shah's Son Jay Shah was allowed a similar second stint as BCCI secretary.

"If Sourav Ganguly's tenure ends as BCCI President, then Jay Shah's tenure should end too. I see cricket as India, not anything else. Sourav is a decent fellow and hence is not saying anything," she said.