Contesting CAB election is a personal matter; Jyoti Basu

Kolkata, Jan 17 (UNI) In a morale booster for West Bengal Sports Minister Subhash Chakraborty, veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu today said contesting CAB election was a personal matter and the CPI(M) had no definite stand on the issue.

" There is no decision within our party regarding Mr Chakraborty contesting the CAB election. This is his personal matter. He can contest if he wants to," he told reporters while attending a function at Salt Lake.

Mr Basu's comment came a day after Mr Chakraborty announced his decision to contest the post against city police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee even as CPI(M) State Secretary Biman Basu asked him not to go ahead.

Mr Mukherjee, who had earlier announced his candidature, filed the nomination paper today. The police chief was backed by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in the last CAB election in July when he was defeated by Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya by only five votes.

Talking to UNI over phone from Bangalore, Mr Chakraborty reiterated that he would contest the poll, scheduled to be held on February one to deal with the BCCI 'injustice' meted out to CAB.

The maverick CPI(M) Minister said he was confident that he would be able to convince Mr Biman Basu.

"I am forced to contest this election under certain circumstances. I believe a strong man is required as the head of CAB to make the Sharad Pawar-led BCCI realise the injustice being meted out to the state cricket body," he said.

He alleged that the BCCI had not alloted a single international cricket match to the Eden Gardens for years and also denied outstanding payments to CAB only because of the enmity the present bosses had with Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former CAB President.

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