Left Front takes neutral stand on CAB elections

Kolkata, June 22 (UNI) The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elections are throwing newer twists everyday, the latest being the Left Front's sudden neutral stand towards it giving some breathing space to incumbent President Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Within 48 hours of the meeting held by the dissident group to bring back Sourav Ganguly, discordant notes came from Alimuddin Street.

Left front Chairman Biman Basu made it clear that the party had nothing to do with CAB elections. '' CAB is a democratic and independent body and the party will not get involved in its election process. This is the party's collective stand.'' Speaking about the Chief Minister's statement asking Dalmiya not to contest the CAB elections, Mr Basu said, ''That is his personal comment. It has nothing to do with the party.'' Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee made it clear that his letter to the convention held by the dissidents was only to show his solidarity to Sourav Ganguly.

Talking to UNI over phone from the United Kingdom, Mr Chatterjee said, ''I have taken no side in the CAB election. I am not even a voter. My position is absolutely neutral.'' Asked whether he had extended his support to any of the groups through a written letter, he said, '' I have just supported Sourav Ganguly's cause so that he could be brought back to the Indian side, but this has nothing to do with CAB elections.'' To further aggravate things for the challenger, top cop Prasun Mukherjee, Mr Subhas Chakraborty after conveying Mr Bhattacharjee's message to him gave an interview to an electronic channel in Dalmiya's favour.

''Dalmiya is in no way responsible for (Sourav)Ganguly's exclusion from the Indian side. This is Sharad Power's handiwork,'' he said.

''Now the people who are trying to pass the buck on Dalmiya cannot wash their hands off all responsibility,'' he said.

Asked to comment on Jyoti Basu's reaction to Prasun Mukherjee's capability to do justice to both the posts as he chose to stand, he said, ''Jyoti Basu's comment is like Bible to me. So politically and socially I support everything he says.'' With barely five weeks left for the CAB polls it's evident that both the sides are buckling up. The fact that Jyoti Basu failed to meet Dalmiya due to his 'illness' was largely neutralised by the late evening stance taken by the Left Front.

Moreover, B N Dutta, who holds tremendous clout in the maidan, is very much with the wily cricket administrator.

Now the dissident group is waiting for Sourav Ganguly's letter in their support. But how far reaching the effect would be is to be seen.

Now its only wait and watch as the dates approach.

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