Sourav Ganguly, Yusuf Pathan Deny Reports Of Mamata Banerjee Seeking Baharampur Seat For Lok Sabha Bypoll

Kolkata: Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan have strongly denied reports claiming that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought Pathan’s resignation from the Lok Sabha to pave the way for her return to Parliament through a by-election.

The speculation emerged following a report in a Bengali daily that alleged the Trinamool Congress had approached Ganguly to persuade Pathan to vacate his Baharampur Lok Sabha seat so that Banerjee could contest a bypoll after losing her political foothold in West Bengal.

The report further claimed that Pathan had refused to step down, creating a political sensation amid the Trinamool Congress’s efforts to recover from its recent electoral setback.

Rumours Surface Amid Trinamool’s Political Challenges

The claims surfaced at a time when Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee are reportedly working to strengthen the party’s position in national politics following a difficult electoral phase.

According to the report, Banerjee was considering a Lok Sabha route to remain politically relevant, which would require a vacancy in Parliament. The Baharampur constituency, represented by Yusuf Pathan, was cited as a potential option.

However, both Ganguly and Pathan have categorically rejected the allegations.

Sourav Ganguly Calls Report ‘Untrue’

In a detailed statement, Sourav Ganguly described the allegations as “incorrect and untrue.”

The former BCCI president clarified that he was never approached by Mamata Banerjee to communicate any message to Yusuf Pathan regarding resignation from his parliamentary seat.

“It was alleged that I had contacted Mr Yusuf Pathan on behalf of Ms Banerjee and had carried her message that he should step down from his constitutional post as the elected representative of the constituency. These allegations are untrue,” Ganguly said.

He further stated that the report was published in “reckless disregard of the truth.”

“I was never requested or asked by Ms Mamata Banerjee to convey any message to Mr Yusuf Pathan. I never approached or contacted him with any such request. Therefore, the question of Mr Pathan responding in the manner alleged does not arise,” he added.

Ganguly also reiterated that he has never been involved in political matters and had no role in any such discussions.

Yusuf Pathan Rejects Resignation Claims

Yusuf Pathan also dismissed the reports, describing them as completely baseless.

In a video message, the former India cricketer-turned-politician said neither Mamata Banerjee nor any Trinamool Congress leader had ever asked him to resign from his parliamentary position.

“For quite some time now, news has been circulating claiming that Mamata Banerjee asked me to resign from my MP seat so that she could contest from Baharampur. Mamata Banerjee never spoke to me about this matter. This claim is completely false,” Pathan said.

He added that no party leader had approached him regarding resignation from the constituency.

Pathan’s Political Journey

Yusuf Pathan entered active politics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a Trinamool Congress candidate. He emerged as one of the party’s biggest success stories by defeating veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Baharampur, a constituency long considered the Congress leader’s stronghold.

His victory was widely viewed as a significant political upset and helped strengthen the Trinamool’s presence in Murshidabad district.

Political Speculation Continues

While speculation about Mamata Banerjee’s future political strategy continues, both Ganguly and Pathan have now publicly denied any discussions regarding the Baharampur seat.

Their statements appear to have put to rest rumours suggesting that efforts were underway to create a parliamentary vacancy for the Trinamool chief.

For now, there is no official indication from the Trinamool Congress that Banerjee plans to contest a Lok Sabha by-election, and the party has not commented on the reports beyond the denials issued by Ganguly and Pathan.