Sports India

The battle for Bengal cricket is in its final lap, with the elections scheduled this Sunday. And despite the strong influence of the Gangulys - it’s advantage Dalmiya at this stage. But Prasun Mukherjee - Kolkata’s police chief and Dalmiya’s opponent is hard at work. Sambit Pal tells us more about the top cop.

Kolkata may be on a high alert these days, but the city’s police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee devotes almost all his hours at another battlefront - the battle for the top post in Bengal cricket. And on Wednesday the commissioner spent almost 6-7 hours at the Cricket Association of Bengal, scrutinising nomination papers submitted by associate clubs. After all - Mukherjee has his task cut out, running against the one-time Czar of world cricket Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Mukherjee, an IPS officer from the 1973 batch, may be new to the cricket boardroom battles but he’s an old hand at sports administration, having earlier presided over the West Bengal Athletics Association.

Sourav Ganguly’s latest email, his brother Snehashish Ganguly’s backing and the support of the state’s most powerful man - Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee may have added to Prasun Mukherjee’s armoury, but beating master tactician Dalmiya requires a whole lot more. Quite aware of his duties as city police chief and unlike Jagmohan Dalmiya, Prasun Mukherjee wants to work as a team.

“I have talked to 94 clubs personally and I understand their aspirations. We have charted a plan, and we will work as a team,” says Mukherjee.

The Prasun Mukherjee camp has already charted out its 25-point vision programme for Bengal cricket that include:

▪ Development of cricket not only in Kolkata but also in the districts
▪ Demanding more important international matches from BCCI
▪ Providing a clean and transparent administration in CAB
▪ Limiting the period of tenure of CAB president

But for this vision to be realized, Commissioner Mukherjee will have to do a Sharad Pawar - that is, conquer Jagmohan Dalmiya.