Sourav Ganguly rules out joining politics

Sourav Ganguly

Kolkata - Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday denied joining politics, following an offer by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest the Lok Sabha polls.

Ganguly, who visited Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat regarding a school project of his, said he was better off on the playground.

“No, no, not at all, I am better off on the ground. It is confirmed,” Ganguly told the media following speculation about his joining politics.

In December, state BJP president Rahul Sinha had said party general secretary Varun Gandhi, also in-charge of party affairs in West Bengal, had during a meeting in Delhi made an offer to Ganguly to contest the Lok Sabha elections from a constituency of his choice.

Though Ganguly confirmed he had received the offer, the former India opener said he was undecided about it.

Days later, state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya too came calling at Ganguly’s residence although he described the meeting as personal and refused to attribute any political significance to it.