The race to succeed Jagmohan Dalmiya at the helm of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) gathered momentum on Wednesday with Sourav Ganguly and Dalmiya's son Avishek calling on chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna, says a report in The Times Of India.
Sourav and Avishek insisted that it was a courtesy call to discuss the arrangements for the former BCCI chief's 'shraddh' ceremony to be held on October 2. "To discuss something like this three days after his (Dalmiya's) death is not right. Speculation will be on, someone will run CAB. It's too early to say anything," Ganguly said after emerging from the meeting that was also attended by three senior state ministers.
“There was no official line on the succession issue at CAB, but according to a well-placed source, the chief minister is well aware of the factionalism in the CAB, and wants the members to sort out their differences and elect a candidate who is acceptable to all factions,” says the TOI report.
Meanwhile, according to a report in The Indian Express, a source close to the CM said: “She told Sourav she would support his candidature. But she also asked him to take Abhishek along with him. Abhishek had been running the day-to-day affairs of the CAB after his father’s health deteriorated. She also said it was important that Dalmiya’s legacy and contribution to Bengal cricket should be respected.”
According to Calcutta Telegraph, Abhishek played it as safe. He said: "I (just) came to invite the chief minister. She was very kind to us after my father passed away and gave us a lot of support."
