Sourav Ganguly declines offer from BJP

Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has denied reports that he is set to join political party Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). There were reports floating around yesterday that the cricketer had agreed to join the party.

The 42-year-old did say that he was contacted by BJP officials, but refused the offer. If reports are to be believed, Ganguly was offered a Lob Sabha seat by the BJP during the general elections last year. Even then, he had supposedly declined the offer.

“Yes, the BJP did make an offer. However, I have declined it. I won’t be contesting the elections,” Ganguly said.

With the West Bengal assembly elections coming up next year, the BJP hoped that Ganguly would join them and be an able opponent to Trinamool Congress’s Mamata Banerjee.

Ganguly scored 7212 runs in 113 Test matches for India, with him captaining in 49 of those games. He retired from international cricket in 2008.

Sourav Ganguly: BJP did make an offer. However, I have declined it.

— Sportskeeda Cricket (@SK__Cricket) January 22, 2015

Mohammad Azharuddin, Kirti Azad, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Mohammad Kaif are some of the Indian cricketers to have joined politics in recent years.