Former Indian team captain Sourav Ganguly may take guard for the BJP in the coming general elections. A sweet timer of the red cherry, the stylish southpaw has taken some time to weigh up the offer reportedly coming from the top BJP leadership to contest next year’s polls.
Even as a leading Bangla daily Ananda Bazaar Patrika on Saturday quoted the Prince of Kolkata as saying that he had indeed got an offer from the saffron outfit Bengal BJP president Rahul Sinha later said that his party had indeed approached Ganguly who “has neither given a word nor rejected the offer.”
The “Bengal tiger” who had earlier met BJP MP and its charge-de-affairs in Bengal, Varun Gandhi in Delhi, has also been offered a ministerial berth, sources said, adding the left-hander could be offered seats from States like Delhi or Gujarat considering the highly bi-polar political scenario in his home State.
“He can contest from seat of his choice” the Bengal BJP president said adding India cricket icon had taken some time to ponder over the issue. Ganguly who had hardly met Gandhi before was reportedly introduced to the BJP MP by a former Army officer sources said. “He is a common friend and was the prime force behind making the meeting take place” sometime in November family sources confirmed.
Curiously Gandhi who was recently in Kolkata refused to comment on the issue of whether the duo had discussions on the cricketer’s joining the party.
Though the BJP has some pocket bases — that helped it poll total of about 19 lakh last time — like in Howrah, north Kolkata, Birbhum, Nadia and North Bengal it could be difficult for the party to ensure a sure win for Ganguly insiders said.
Earlier when Ganguly - who has been known for his proximity to the Marxist leaders of Bengal during when the left Front was in power - was asked as to whether he had indeed been offered a ticket and a ministry he answered in the affirmative adding he still was “undecided on what to do as I have been very busy for the last a few days.”
Sources close to the former cricketer said he had a very tight schedule till February and wondered whether he would be able to devote the time needed for campaigning.
Family sources also said Ganguly had been offered Sports Minister’s job if he would join the party.