Amit Shah dines with BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly

New Delhi, May 6: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a two-day Bengal trip, dined at Indian cricketing legend Sourav Ganguly's residence in South Kolkata. Thus triggering the rumours around the former Indian cricket captain joining the BJP.

Accompanying Shah were BJP idealogue Swapan Dasgupta, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, and Leader of the opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari.

Ganguly, who at one time had been fondly dubbed Prince of Calcutta' for his cricketing prowess, told reporters, "Bohu kotha rote (many speculations are rife), ... but I have known him (Shah) since 2008. While playing, I used to meet him. There's nothing more than that. He had also pointed out he had worked with his son in the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The speculations of Ganguly joining the BJP have been doing rounds for years now. Last year, there were rumours which claimed that the former Indian cricketer was offered the post of Chief Minister if the BJP won the assembly elections.

Shah has a packed schedule and a meeting with Ganguly was not on the itinerary. The Union Home Minister will be attending an event in which Ganguly's wife Dona will be performing a dance, a report on News18 claimed.

Reacting to Ganguly hosting dinner to Shah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would ask the BCCI President to serve Bengal delicacy 'Mishti doi' to him.

Meanwhile, Amit Shah, who was in Siliguri in West Bengalon Thursday, accused the TMC of spreading rumours about CAA that it won't be implemented on ground. "But I would like to say that we'll implement CAA on ground the moment Covid wave ends...Mamata Didi wants infiltration...CAA was, is and will be a reality," he added.

Responding to Shah's claim, the West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee said that the BJP will not return to power in 2024 while reiterating that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act Bill will not be implemented.