Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has firmly denied rumours suggesting he is set to enter politics ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Social media had been abuzz with speculation about his possible association with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). However, Ganguly’s office clarified to ET Online that the reports are “completely baseless” and that he is “not joining any political party.”
Meanwhile, West Bengal is preparing for Assembly elections scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting on May 4. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a multi-layered surveillance system to monitor polling officers and ensure strict adherence to guidelines.
District-level control rooms will operate under District Magistrates, while an integrated control room at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Kolkata will oversee complaint redressal and field responses. Constituency-specific observers will supervise polling across all 294 Assembly seats, supported by district-level central observers.
The ECI has also revised protocols for the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Decisions on the movement of over 2,300 CAPF companies per phase will be taken by ECI-appointed police observers rather than district authorities.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar assured that the elections will be conducted peacefully, with enhanced monitoring and strict enforcement mechanisms to ensure transparency and fairness.
