Mamata Banerjee announces Sourav Ganguly as the next CAB President

Sourav Ganguly has been appointed as CAB President

Sourav Ganguly, after receving the backing of the West Bengal Government, has been announced as the new President of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), reports Cricbuzz.

Following the death of former president Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sourav Ganguly was the frontrunner to take over as Dalmiya’s successor. Abhishek Dalmiya, late Jagmohan Dalmiya’s son, is all set to be appointed as the joint-secretary of the CAB taking up the position been made vacant by Sujan Mukherjee.

Ganguly and Abhishek met with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday and had an hour-long discussion. Ganguly had earlier denied to comment on the issue. “To discuss something like this (three days after his death) is not right. Speculation will be on, someone will run CAB. It's too early to comment because it has just been three days... It's very early to say," Ganguly had told the press after his meeting with Mamata.

A meeting with all the CAB members is expected to be scheduled sometime soon to further discuss the new appointments. “We'll have to call for a meeting with all the members. I have to be thankful to all the members for this opportunity. If all the 117 members agree, then I'm ready to take up the responsibility. It will be a challenge, we have to keep working everyday. We will all work together," Ganguly told the press.

”It's not CM's sole decision. She has spoken to everyone. I'm very happy that she wanted Abhishek (Dalmiya) in. Whatever time they want me to go, I'll go. It's an emotional time for him and I will support him," Ganguly added describing the impact of Mamata Banarjee.

The factionalism in the CAB was a very well known fact to the Chief Minister and she wants all the members to sort out their differences and work together as a single unit. 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.”

The new role that former Indian skipper Ganguly has taken up, as the chief of an East Zone cricket association, might very well play an important role in the forthcoming BCCI presidential elections.