CM's interference in CAB affairs

Kolkata, Jun 22(UNI) The Jagmohan Dalmiya issue had its echo in the West Bengal Assembly today when Sports Minister Subhash Chakraborty said Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's intervention in the CAB affairs was necessary.

He, however, admitted that the situation over the CAB election was 'abnormal' and unprecedented in the country.

Mr Chakraborty held Congress President Sonia Gandhi responsible for showing the way of political interference in sports affairs.

''The issue is complex and it is a very abnormal situation.

Nowhere in the country have such things happened. As a Sports Minister serving for a long time, never before have I faced a similar situation,'' he said in reply to a mention by Congress Legislature Party(CLP) leader Manas Bhuniya.

Criticising the Chief Minister for siding with the anti-Dalmiya group, Mr Bhuniya demanded that the Government refrain from any interference in the CAB affairs. He also wanted to know what did Mr Bhattacharjee ask the Sports Minister to convey to Mr Dalmiya.

''It is unfortunate that Mrs Sonia Gandhi first started this in the BCCI election by extending support to Mr Sharad Pawar...there is nothing to hide. The Chief Minister requested me to ask Mr Dalmiya not to contest in the election, and I faithfully carried the advice to him,'' Mr Chakraborty said.

He said when they met yesterday, the CAB President had asked few questions to him, which had been conveyed to the Chief Minister. ''It was the prevailing situation that prompted the Chief Minister to intervene,'' he said.

Mr Chakraborty said he had learnt from newspapers that Mr Dalmiya said he would convene a meeting of the CAB affiliates before taking a decision on the matter.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, however, received support in his move from an unexpected quarter when senior Trinamool Congress member Sadhan Pande said what Mr Bhattacharjee had taken a correct step.

''The Chief Minister's decision is right. Those who cannot perform must go,'' he said.

Mr Pande, however, wanted to know whether the Chief Minister had received any assurance from BCCI President Sharad Pawar that Sourav Ganguly would be included in the Indian team in lieu of Mr Dalmiya's ouster from CAB.

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