Bhattacharjee wages war against Dalmiya, party stands neutral

Kolkata, July 31 (UNI) In an unprecedented outburst, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today declared a 'war' seeking ouster of CAB President Jagmohan Dalmiya even though CPI(M) patriarch Jyoti Basu and the party stood neutral.

''Dalmiya's victory in CAB election is the victory of evil forces over the honest and good people. It's a victory of injustice over justice...I want to see him out and this war will be on till the mission is accomplished,'' Mr Bhattacharjee told reporters at the state Secretariat today.

His angry statement came a day after Mr Dalmiya retained the post of CAB President for the 15th time defeating city Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee, the Chief Minister's candidate, in an election that kicked up countrywide excitement and suspense.

In a public show of his ire seldom seen before, the Chief Minister said the presence of Dalmiya was a setback for Bengal's cricket and efforts would be on to remove him from CAB.

''I want Dalmiya to leave CAB and I still insist that he leaves the association,'' he said.

However, maintaining his stoicism, veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu said the party had no stake in CAB politics and asked the state unit to declare a neutral stand.

''I will not comment anything on the issue. Our party did not put any candidate in the CAB election,'' he told UNI.

''I have heard that Buddha has called Dalmiya an evil. I have asked our state Secretary Biman Bose to discuss the issue within the party and make a statement on the issue,'' he said.

Mr Basu, however, was of the view that the CAB President should also make an introspection into what made the Chief Minister to go against him in public and strive for correcting if anything was wrong in his functioning.

Echoing Mr Basu, CPI(M) state Secretary Biman Bose asserted that the party would not meddle with the CAB policits.

''Things in the world of sports should go as it should. Our party is not into the CAB affairs and it shall not poke its nose,'' he said.

Pleading ignorance about what the Chief Minister said, Mr Bose said he would talk to Mr.Bhattacharjee on the issue tomorrow.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Mr Dalmiya declined any personal comment saying a collective statement from the CAB might follow.

''I will not react to this. This is a very sensitive issue and only a collective statement will come from us, if at all,'' he said.

However, justifying his move, the Chief Minister said the people did not like Dalmiya's way of functioning and that Eden Gardens had virtually ceased to be a venue for international cricket.

''If he is in power, cricket will take a backseat in the state,'' he said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had said in public that he did not want Dalmiya to contest as CAB President. His wishes were conveyed to Dalmiya by Sports Minister Subhash Chakraborty. But Dalmiya contested the election against the Chief Minister's candidate and won by a margin of five votes in the toughest ever electoral battle in his life.

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