Ganguly-BJP row over Imran photo continues

There was no end in sight to the stand-off between president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Sourav Ganguly and the Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mr. Ganguly refused to remove the photograph of former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan from the club house of the iconic cricket stadium of Kolkata, the Eden Gardens.

Following a demonstration by the BJP workers on Saturday, Mr. Ganguly said he would “stick to his earlier position”.

On the other hand, the BJP’s State officials indicated that they would “continue with the stir if Mr. Ganguly continues to reject their demand”.

The club house also has photographs of Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raza, but the BJP has not demanded their removal. Following the Pulwama attack, the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai had removed the photograph of Mr. Khan from its restaurant. Other cricket associations followed suit, but Mr. Ganguly refused to budge.

The fight between Mr. Ganguly and the BJP, however, is interpreted in political circles as a proxy one between the BJP and Trinamool Congress.

Mr. Ganguly was favoured by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when he was selected to lead the CAB, four years ago.