Row breaks out over endorsement of Trinamool candidate by officials of Kolkata-based football clubs

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari called the move ‘unprecedented and unethical’, writes to Union Sports Minister seeking his intervention

A fresh controversy has erupted in West Bengal with office bearers of prominent football clubs in Kolkata publicly endorsing Sanat Dey, the Trinamool Congress candidate from Naihati Assembly seat in the byelection scheduled on November 13. An office bearer of the Indian Football Association is also seen putting his weight behind the Trinamool Congress candidate in the video shared on social media by the State’s ruling party.

Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari called the move “unprecedented and unethical” and wrote to Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya seeking his intervention.

The Trinamool Congress took to social media sharing a video of officials of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club endorsing the candidature of Sanat Dey.

“Our MLA Candidate, Shri Sanat Dey’s love for football is known to everyone in Naihati. Be it Mohun Bagan, East Bengal or Mohammedan Sporting Club, his immense contribution towards maintaining a healthy sporting culture in Naihati is appreciated by them all!” the party posted on social media platform X.

In the 78-second video, Debabrata Sarkar, who is associated with the East Bengal Club, Debasish Dutta of Mohun Bagan Club and Md. Kamaruddin of Mohammedan Sporting Club are seen endorsing Mr. Dey. The video, which has been endorsed by the State’s ruling party, also features Anirban Dutta, secretary of Indian Football Association who is heaping praises on the Trinamool Congress candidate.

All the three clubs — East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting Club — are century-old football clubs of Kolkata with a large fan following across the State and the development has evoked strong reactions from the sporting fraternity. Legendary footballer Shyam Thapa was among many former sportspersons who said that it was not correct to mix sports and politics and the football clubs should not endorse candidates of any political party.

“There is nothing more unfortunate than this. How can clubs endorse a candidate of any political party?” Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

The Trinamool Congress leadership, however, did not see anything wrong in the endorsement of their candidature by office bearers of the clubs.

“If someone is a deft sport organiser, what is the harm in endorsing him? If All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey is able to contest elections as a BJP candidate, then what is wrong here,” senior Trinamool Congress leader and Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Firhad Hakim said. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey had contested elections as a BJP candidate from Maniktala Assembly seat earlier this year and lost to Trinamool Congress candidate Supti Pandey.

Leader of Opposition Adhikari has described the “brazen political endorsement by people holding important administrative positions in sporting clubs and governing bodies” as “outright unsportsmanlike and also in violation of the code of conduct for such sporting institutions”. The BJP leader has urged the Union Sports Minister to take cognisance of the matter, conduct an enquiry and take appropriate action for the violation of the code of conduct.

Elections to six Assembly seats — Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST) in West Bengal — will be held on November 13. Five seats are located in south Bengal and Madarihat is the only constituency located in the north of the State.

Published - November 06, 2024 10:01 am IST