India-Pak T20 match shifted to Kolkata: A welcome boost for Mamata ahead of polls

Kolkata, March 9: The shifting of the India-Pakistan World T20 match from Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh to Kolkata will give West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) a big boost ahead of the Assembly polls.

India-Pak T20 WC match shifted to Kolkata
Mamata 'very very happy' to see India-Pak match in Kolkata

West Bengal polls 2016: Why Murshidabad district will be interesting to watch

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to send its team to India for the T20 World Cup which started on Tuesday owing to security reasons. But it has certainly given TMC chief Mamata Banerjee a great opportunity to promote her 'liberal' and even 'secular' image ahead of the curial polls.

Mamata had proposed for Kolkata to host BCCI-PCB meeting; she also invited Pak ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali to her state

A few months ago, Banerjee had given the proposal of Kolkata hosting the meeting between the BCCI and PCB after Shiv Sena supporters attacked the India cricket board's headquarters in Mumbai. She even invited Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali to perform in her state after the latter was denied holding programmes in Mumbai and Pune, thanks to protests from the same Sena.

The latest development, like the Ghulam Ali episode, will also go in the TMC supremo's favour as one who is open to harmony and brotherhood and it will be enough for her party to divert the attention from the growing internal rift over nomination of candidates for the upcoming polls.

Oneindia News