Playing it right: The many strokes of Sourav Ganguly

On May 6, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly hosted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was on a brief visit to West Bengal, and a few other BJP leaders at his home in Kolkata for a sumptuous dinner.

As on earlier occasions, it created a buzz in the state, quickly becoming the stuff of dinner-time conversations and media debates. Has 'Dada' finally decided to jump into politics? Is he heading to the Rajya Sabha, or is it his wife Dona, an accomplished Odissi dancer? And more such questions.

But the answers to these and other questions remain as elusive as ever.

Also Read | After Shah visits his home, Ganguly talks of close relations with Mamata

On the cricketing field, the left-hander and former Indian captain could dazzle fans with his off-side play and wasn’t afraid to bare his emotions; in the commentary box, he could be outspoken. Off the field, he is as inscrutable as they come.

One reason for this is West Bengal’s political pitch, which makes the wily BCCI chief’s moves hard to guess as he has to constantly adjust to evolving situations.

There is no ‘yes’ but the questions remain open-ended in the absence of an unambiguous long-term ‘no’.

To the inquisitive minds, who have observed Ganguly’s timeline over the years, the latest development involving Shah is not much to be fussed over. And who can fault them?

Also Read | Amit Shah dines with Sourav Ganguly in West Bengal

The day after dining with Shah, Ganguly spoke of his close bond with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and attended a private hospital’s inauguration with Firhad Hakim, Kolkata mayor, and a minister considered close to Mamata.

In the state’s fractious politics, Ganguly appears ‘ambitious’ but has deftly cultivated strong relations with all leaders and managed to remain sufficiently distant at the same time.

During the Left’s tenure, Ganguly was a favourite with several Left leaders and actively attended government functions. At one point, a senior CPM leader wanted him to be a part of the election campaign.

In July last year, Mamata visited the former cricketer's home to wish him his 49th birthday. This was after the high voltage state elections were over.

Earlier in the year, it was said the ex-cricketer may be joining the BJP and that he was approached by the saffron party, which is desperately looking for faces to counter the towering popularity of Mamata.

The ‘Dada’ versus ‘Didi’ (elder sister) political narrative was mouth-watering and resonated with the public. But that didn’t happen (The saffron party was eventually trounced by the Mamata-led TMC in the polls).

Before that, barring one sour note — an incident in March 2020 with regard to the cancellation of an ODI match at Eden Gardens — Ganguly and Mamata shared a cordial relationship.

Veteran CPM leader and former minister in the Left Front government Ashok Bhattacharya, once considered close to Ganguly, told DH that he had advised Sourav a year ago not to join politics.

“Lately, I haven’t been in touch with him. He never said whether he will join politics. I wish him the best as a well-wisher,” Bhattacharya said.

Dilip Ghosh, BJP’s national vice-president, thinks that while Ganguly may not be keen on joining politics, it will have a positive effect if he does.

“Last year, there was a strong feeling that he (Sourav) will join politics. But I can’t say if he will come to politics. If he joins the BJP, certainly it will have a positive impact (on the party),” said Ghosh.

Entrepreneur Baishali Dalmiya, daughter of Jagmohan Dalmiya, is a close friend of the Ganguly family and has observed his transformation over the years. Baishali, a former Trinamool MLA, is now with the BJP.

Baishali praised Ganguly, saying his “straightforward nature and honesty” are the leadership qualities that draw the attention of political parties and common people. “There could be rumours of him joining politics, but it’s his call. We want him to be a leader but it’s totally up to him. As I am in the BJP, I would be happy to see him in my party as a well-wisher,” she said.

But political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty had a word of caution.

“A person of any stature has to approach and depend on the system for survival. At times, we criticise celebrities for associating too closely to a political party. For this, it’s the system that’s responsible,” he said.

Then there is the question of whether successful celebrities make good politicians. “Past experience suggests that a large number of celebrities have failed in full-time politics. They had to bend or were isolated,” he said and added: “There are, however, success stories as well, like Smriti Irani.”