Sourav has no political association: EC

Kolkata: Rejecting Trinamool Congress' view, the Election Commission on Thursday said it did no wrong in selecting Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador for the West Bengal polls and there was no evidence of the former Team India captain's participation in any political campaign.

"We have examined the question of Ganguly as a brand ambassador and ascertained that there is no such evidence of the former Team India's affiliation to CPM as claimed by Trinamool," state deputy Chief Electoral Office Dibyendu

Sarkar told reporters here.

On Trinamool Congress submitting a CD to the EC on its allegation, Sarkar said, "The video CD was examined and we didn't find any evidence of participation of Ganguly in any political campaign."

Besides submitting the CD, Trinamool Congress had claimed that Ganguly could not be the EC brand ambassador as he had worked as the brand ambassador of several departments including the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) of the Left Front government in the state.

The CD showed footage of a press briefing by a state minister and news coverage in one of the Bengali television channels.

An EC press release said that Ganguly expressed concern at having his good office being dragged into controversy.

He strongly denied any involvement with any single political party and stated in unequivocal terms that whatever he did was done as a cricketer and in furtherance of the cause of the game, it said.

"The entire complaint along with the CD has been sent to the Election Commission of India and they will take the final decision," Sarkar said.

Ganguly and percussionist Bikram Ghosh were selected by EC which produced an audio-visual for telecast on major channels to create interest among the people to vote. The controversy arose when Urban Development Minister

Ashok Bhattacharya, belonging to CPM, claimed Ganguly would campaign for him in the elections.

Meanwhile, CPM state secretariat member Shyamal Chakraborty told reporters, "We do not want to enter into this controversy. It is for the Election Commission to decide."

He said, "Sourav is regarded as a cricket icon not only in West Bengal, but in the entire country. He is also an icon for the youth in West Bengal and elsewhere in the country."