Sourav Ganguly appointed the next CAB president

Sourav Ganguly appointed the next CAB president: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was on Thursday elected as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. Ganguly will succeed the late BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya who died due to cardiac arrest on Sunday.

Speaking to media Ganguly said, “I am thankful to my colleagues for giving me this responsibility. If the 117 members agree, I will take over the responsibility, will try and do the best”.

I am thankful to my colleagues for giving me this responsibility: Sourav Ganguly pic.twitter.com/chKaEirM5f

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 24, 2015

Dalmiya’s son Abhishek was also made joint secretary of the state body. The announcement was made by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee after a meeting with CAB officials.

Rumours were rife that Ganguly would replace Dalmiya after he met Mamata earlier in the day. According to media reports in the high profile meeting, CAB joint secretary and current treasurer Biswarup Dey and Ganguly were present alongwith senior CAB officials. Dey was also a potential candidate for the president’s post.

Jagmohan Dalmiya’s death had triggered a power struggle not just within the BCCI, but also in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Earlier on Wednesday, Dada had met the West Bengal CM alongwith Abhishek. Neither of the them disclosed what transpired in the meeting though. It is believed that Ganguly also had the support of Arun Jaitley, a crucial influence in BCCI politics.

Previously, the relationship between Mamata and Sourav was considered to be bitter, due to the former India skipper’s perceived proximity to the previous Left Front government. It was in 2013 that the strained relationship started witnessing a change, with the TMC government allotting 2 acres of land to Sourav at Rajarhat for the setting up of an educational institution.