Ganguly and Pathan Deny Claims Linking Them to Mamata's Lok Sabha Bypoll Strategy

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan have separately denied reports claiming that Ganguly approached Pathan on behalf of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and requested him to resign from his Lok Sabha seat to facilitate her return to electoral politics through a by-election. Both described the reports as false and without basis.

The controversy emerged after a media report suggested that Banerjee, who is facing political challenges following her party’s loss of power in West Bengal, was considering entering Parliament through a Lok Sabha bypoll. According to the report, the Trinamool Congress had allegedly sought Ganguly’s assistance in persuading Pathan to vacate the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat, thereby creating an opportunity for Banerjee to contest. The report further claimed that Pathan declined the proposal.

Responding to the claims, Ganguly issued a detailed statement rejecting the allegations. He said the report incorrectly suggested that he had conveyed a message from Banerjee to Pathan requesting the latter to step down from his constitutional position as an elected representative. Ganguly stated that he had never been asked by Banerjee to communicate any such request and had never approached Pathan regarding the matter.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly Denies Involvement In Report Linking Him To Yusuf Pathan Seat Issue

The former cricketer described the allegations as entirely untrue and made in reckless disregard of the facts. He emphasized that he has never been involved in political negotiations of this nature and that the reported conversation never took place. Ganguly added that since no such request was ever made, the question of Pathan responding to it did not arise.

Pathan also dismissed the reports through a video statement. The former Indian cricketer and current Trinamool MP said that neither Mamata Banerjee nor any party leader had ever asked him to resign from his Baharampur parliamentary seat. He termed the claims circulating on social media and in sections of the media as completely false and urged people not to believe the speculation.

Pathan entered electoral politics in 2024 after joining the Trinamool Congress and went on to secure a significant victory by defeating Congress veteran Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the Baharampur constituency. The twin denials from Ganguly and Pathan come at a time when the Trinamool leadership is working to strengthen its political position and engage with allies at the national level, amid ongoing discussions about the party’s future strategy.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly Denies Involvement In Report Linking Him To Yusuf Pathan Seat Issue