KOLKATA: Barely a few hours after hosting Union Home Minister Amit Shah for dinner at his south Kolkata residence, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said he had a close relationship with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is known to be a strident critic of the BJP.
"I know Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for long time. She is very close to me. I had approached her to help to build up this healthcare institute," said Ganguly at the inauguration of a private hospital in Kolkata.
The former skipper of the Indian cricket team came out praising the Bengal CM shortly after a buzz about his venturing into politics started doing the rounds in political circles of Bengal over the issue of inviting Shah for dinner. Shah and Mamata never miss an opportunity to unleash attacks on each other on several issues.
There was also strong speculation about Ganguly venturing into Bengal politics ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in the state.
Ganguly on Saturday also showered praise on minister Firhad Hakim, who is known to be in Mamata’s close circle. "I am also very close to Firhad Hakim. He has been seeing me since I was in Class I. He has been our family friend. All who approach him get help. I too have called him several times," he said.
Asked about the Union Home Minister’s visit to his home on Friday, Ganguly had said, "I know him since 2008. His son works with me in the BCCI. Politics has nothing to with his dinner at my home."
Ganguly had visited the state secretariat on April 28 and met Mamata regarding allocation of land to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), of which he is the president, to build a stadium.
Political analysts in Kolkata described Ganguly as a 'businessman' who is trying to maintain good terms with the Centre and state government. During the Left Front regime, he was also very close to CPI(M) minister Ashok Bhattacharya.