Sourav Ganguly Breaks Silence on Claims He Asked Yusuf Pathan to Quit for Mamata Banerjee

Former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has firmly denied reports claiming he acted as an intermediary between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Yusuf Pathan regarding a possible Lok Sabha bypoll.

The controversy stems from a report published in a Bengali daily, which alleged that the TMC had sought Ganguly’s help in persuading Pathan to vacate the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat so that Mamata Banerjee could contest a by-election and enter Parliament following the party’s disappointing performance in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

According to the report, the TMC viewed Baharampur as a favourable constituency for Mamata. The seat, located in Murshidabad district, was won by former cricketer Yusuf Pathan in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after he defeated veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The constituency is considered electorally significant for the TMC due to its sizeable Muslim population, a key support base for the party.

The report further claimed that Ganguly, who briefly shared the dressing room with Pathan at the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, was approached to convey Mamata’s message to the MP. It also alleged that Pathan declined the proposal.

The claims sparked intense political speculation, particularly at a time when the TMC is facing reports of internal dissent within its parliamentary ranks. Sources have indicated that several party MPs are in touch with a rebel faction led by former TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee, adding to concerns over unrest within the party.

Responding to the controversy on Saturday, Ganguly issued a detailed statement categorically rejecting the allegations. Calling the report “completely false”, he said the claims were published in “reckless disregard of the truth”.

Ganguly stressed that he has never involved himself in political matters and was never asked by Mamata Banerjee to communicate any message to Yusuf Pathan.

“I never approached or contacted Yusuf Pathan. Therefore, the question of him responding in the manner alleged in the article does not arise,” Ganguly said, dismissing the report in its entirety.

The episode comes ahead of Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s visit to Delhi on June 8 for the INDIA bloc meeting, where the party leadership is also expected to address concerns among disgruntled TMC MPs amid growing speculation about internal divisions.