Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kirti Azad on Saturday (13 June 2026) launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the CID search conducted at the Kalighat house of party MP and National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata. He said that targeting opposition leaders like this is an old method of BJP and it is not a new thing.

Talking to reporters, Kirti Azad alleged that BJP’s real interest is more in troubling the opposition parties than running the government in West Bengal. He said that it is not breaking news that CID reached Abhishek Banerjee’s house and Enforcement Directorate (ED) is taking action at Madan Mitra’s house. According to him, political parties and opposition leaders are targeted in the same way.

Also read: Police reached Abhishek Banerjee’s residence at midnight, Mamata Banerjee also reached, TMC’s allegation – by breaking the lock…

BJP wants to divert people’s attention from real issues – Kirti Azad

Kirti Azad said that the BJP government wants to divert people’s attention from the real issues. He said that issues like inflation and unemployment are not being discussed, while the prices of petrol and diesel are continuously increasing. He said that the government remains busy in these activities. This statement came when Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials searched Abhishek Banerjee’s house in Kalighat in Kolkata. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghosh claimed that the police team reached Abhishek Banerjee’s house at 3 am on Saturday.

What did Sagarika Ghosh say?

According to Sagarika Ghosh, the disaster management team was called at 5 in the morning to break the locks. After this, at 6:30 in the morning, a search operation was carried out for about 90 minutes from the second floor to the roof. He claimed that in the seizure report prepared after the search, NIL was recorded, meaning no evidence or incriminating material was found. Sagarika Ghosh alleged that this action was taken to create political vendetta, threat and mental pressure. He said that under “Operation Lotus” those leaders are being targeted who refuse to bow down to the pressure of BJP. He described this entire action as an attack on opposition leaders and a political conspiracy.

Also read: The first flight will take off from Noida International Airport on June 15, planes will go from Bengaluru to Mumbai, know everything

Chandra Bose, grandson of Subhash Chandra Bose, joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday (12 April 2026) ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. During this, State Education Minister Bratya Basu and party MP Kirti Azad were present. After joining TMC, Chandra Bose launched a scathing attack on BJP. He said that BJP’s policies are openly communal and against the Constitution. According to him, BJP uses religion to win elections, which is a policy to divide the society.

Chandra Bose further said that the British had also adopted a similar policy during their rule and tried to divide the country. He said that just as India had thrown the British out of the country, now the time has come that BJP should also be thrown out of power. It is noteworthy that Chandra Bose had left BJP in the year 2023 and now he has started a new role in the politics of West Bengal by joining TMC.

#WATCH Kolkata, West Bengal: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s great grandson Chandra Kumar Bose joins TMC. pic.twitter.com/989JDB4fzo

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 12, 2026

schedule of west bengal assembly

West Bengal Assembly elections are considered to be one of the biggest and important elections in the country. This election will not only decide the government of the state, but its impact can also be seen on national politics. This time the elections are being held in two phases. The first phase will take place on 23 April 2026 and the second phase on 29 April 2026. After this, counting of votes will take place on May 4, 2026 and the results will be revealed. Voting is taking place on a total of 294 seats in the state and any party or alliance will need at least 148 seats to form the government.

Who will compete in the West Bengal Assembly?

The main contest in this election is between Trinamool Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress-Left alliance. Trinamool Congress is led by Mamata Banerjee and this party is currently in power in the state. TMC had achieved a big victory in the 2021 elections by winning more than 200 seats and now it is trying to return to power once again. Bharatiya Janata Party is also putting its full strength in this election. Suvendu Adhikari is considered a big face from the party. BJP is in power at the Center and is trying to form its government in West Bengal.

Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Big action by ED before Bengal elections! Many big names from coal to hawala on radar

Indian Legends Who Entered Politics After Retiring From Cricket: When an Indian cricketer holds the bat or the ball on the cricket field, he becomes the center of expectations of crores of countrymen. After finishing their innings on the sports field, many Indian stalwarts have played their second innings in the political arena as well. For Indian fans, this player is not just an athlete but an idol. This is the reason why his debut in politics is always a topic of discussion. In this context, the political journey of former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has been full of ups and downs like his cricket career. After saying goodbye to cricket in 1999, he joined Bharatiya Janata Party in 2004.

6 Indian legends who entered politics after retirement from cricket

1. Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu from Bharatiya Janata Party was elected Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar for the first time. He has represented this seat many times. However, in the year 2017, he took a big political U-turn and joined the Indian National Congress (INC). Sidhu has also held important responsibilities in the Punjab government as Minister of Local Government, Tourism and Cultural Affairs.

2. Mohammad Azharuddin

Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s entry into politics was much talked about. He had to face a long legal battle due to match fixing allegations, in which the court later gave him a clean chit. After this Azhar started his new innings. Just before the 2009 general elections, he joined the Indian National Congress and reached Parliament by contesting from Moradabad seat in Uttar Pradesh.

3. Kirti Azad

Kirti Azad is a member of the 1983 World Cup winner and son of former Chief Minister of Bihar Bhagwat Jha Azad. He started his political journey by becoming MP from Darbhanga, Bihar on BJP ticket. Azad is currently a member of Parliament from Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat of West Bengal from Trinamool Congress (TMC).

4. Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, who made an important contribution in India winning two World Cups (2007 and 2011), said goodbye to cricket in the year 2018. Immediately after retirement, he entered politics. Gambhir joined BJP in the year 2019 and won the East Delhi seat with a huge vote in the Lok Sabha elections held this year, but in the year 2024, he announced his retirement from active politics citing cricket commitments (coaching and mentorship).

5. Chetan Chauhan

Former Indian opener Chetan Chauhan traveled a very successful journey in politics after sports. He joined BJP and was elected to Parliament twice from Uttar Pradesh. Chauhan was not only an MP, but he played a big role in improving the sports infrastructure of the state by holding important posts like Youth and Sports Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. At the same time, Chetan’s decency and steadfastness were visible in his political life also.

6. Mohammad Kaif

Former Indian cricketer and famous for his excellent fielding on the field, Mohammad Kaif was clean bowled on the political pitch. He started his political journey from the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He had contested the elections from Phulpur parliamentary seat of Uttar Pradesh on Congress ticket. In this electoral battle, Kaif was defeated by BJP’s Keshav Prasad Maurya. While Maurya got more than 5 lakh votes, Kaif got only 58,127 votes (about 6 percent).

After India’s historic victory, a new controversy has arisen. Gautam Gambhir has reacted strongly to a statement by former cricketer and leader Kirti Azad, in which he had raised questions on the Indian team going to the temple. Kirti Azad had written in a post that the trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians, so it should not be the victory of just one religion. After his statement, a heated debate started on social media. Many people called it an unnecessary controversy, while some called it a political statement.

Gautam Gambhir gave a strong answer

Now Gautam Gambhir has given a definite answer on this entire matter. He said, “It is not even necessary to answer this question. This is a big moment for the entire country and we should celebrate this historic victory. There is no point in raising such things because it belittles the achievements of the team. If you want to belittle the hard work of those 15 players, then tomorrow anyone can get up and say anything.”

He further said, “This is wrong with the players too. Just think what these players have faced and how much pressure they have endured. How much pressure was on the team after the defeat to South Africa. At such a time, if such a statement is made, then you let your own players and your own team down. It is absolutely wrong to do so.”

Where did the controversy start?

India won the title by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of T20 World Cup 2026. After this, the team’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Suryakumar Yadav and Jai Shah came to visit a Hanuman temple with the trophy. Regarding this, Kirti Azad raised questions on social media and said why the trophy was not taken to mosque, church or Gurudwara. This trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians, who come from every religion. This is not a celebration of the victory of any one religion.

Team India emerged champion after overcoming difficult times.

Team India’s journey in this tournament was not easy. There was a lot of pressure on the team after the loss to South Africa in the Super-8 stage. However, after this, India made a comeback by defeating Zimbabwe and West Indies and made it to the semi-finals. India defeated England in the semi-finals and created history by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final. With this victory, India has become the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times.

The statement of former Indian cricketer and Trinamool Congress leader Kirti Azad has intensified the stir. India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav had reached Hanuman Temple in Ahmedabad with the trophy after winning the T20 World Cup title, which Kirti Azad had termed as wrong. Now reactions of many veterans came to light on his statement, in which Harbhajan Singh and Gautam Gambhir were also included.

What did Gautam Gambhir say?

In an interview given to news agency ANI, Gautam Gambhir was asked about Kirti Azad’s statement on taking the trophy to the temple. Responding to this, Gambhir said, “Well, it is not right to answer this question. This is a big moment for the country. I think it is important that we should celebrate the World Cup. Such statements will only reduce your achievements. If you make such statements, you are insulting your players.”

#WATCH | On TMC MP & former cricketer Kirti Azad’s statement, Head Coach of Team India, Gautam Gambhir says in an interview with ANI, “…It is not even worth answering this question…These kinds of statements just degrade the players and team, which should not be done.”

Watch… pic.twitter.com/gIWtMpIbm8

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2026

What did Harbhajan Singh say?

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, while talking about Kirti Azad’s statement, said, “It is absurd that someone is giving a political color to the incident of players taking the trophy to the temple. Kirti himself is a former player, so he was not expected to speak like this. Perhaps he is paying more attention to politics and has forgotten that he is a sportsman.”

Harbhajan Singh cooks Kirti Azad

“It’s absurd to politicise players taking the trophy to a temple. Kirti Azad himself is a former cricketer. I didn’t expect this from him. Maybe politics has taken priority and he’s forgotten he’s a sportsman.” pic.twitter.com/YbNSF6dsXS

— Brutal Truth (@sarkarstix) March 10, 2026

Ishaan also reacted

When Ishaan was asked questions about Kirti Azad’s statement, he apparently did not appear to be in a good mood. Ishaan said, “Win such a good World Cup. You guys ask good questions. What should Kirti Azad say? What should I say on this? Ask some good questions.”

Patna, Bihar: Cricketer Ishan Kishan says, “…What has Kirti Azad said about this? Now, what should I say about it?…” pic.twitter.com/P12gonGLVe

— IANS (@ians_india) March 10, 2026

Also read: Shivam Dubey reached Mumbai by train after winning the T20 World Cup, traveled secretly in the 3rd AC! Know the reason

Ishan Kishan On Kirti Azad: Ishan Kishan’s reaction came to light on the controversial statement of former Indian cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad. Team India won the title of 2026 T20 World Cup last Sunday (08 March). Now slowly Indian players are reaching their homes. Ishan Kishan reached Patna, where he reacted to Kirti Azad’s statement condemning taking the T20 World Cup trophy to the temple.

What did Kirti Azad say?

Kirti Azad, while sharing a post on

He further wrote, “Why not a mosque? Why not a church? Why not a Gurudwara? This team represents India – not Suryakumar Yadav or Jay Shah’s family! Siraj never displayed it in a mosque. Sanju never took it to a church. This trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians of every religion – this is not a celebration of the victory of any one religion!”

SHAME ON TEAM INDIA!

When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu Muslim Sikh and Christian in the team.

We brought the trophy to our religious birth place our motherland India Bharat Hindustan

Why The Hell Is The Indian Cricket Trophy is being Dragged.…

— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 9, 2026

Ishaan Kishan replied

Ishaan, who reached Patna, was seen talking to journalists. During this time, he was asked about Kirti Azad’s comment, on which Ishaan got angry. The Indian wicketkeeper batsman said, “Win such a good World Cup. You guys ask good questions. What should Kirti Azad say? What should I say on this? Ask some good questions.”

Patna, Bihar: Cricketer Ishan Kishan says, “…What has Kirti Azad said about this? Now, what should I say about it?…” pic.twitter.com/P12gonGLVe

— IANS (@ians_india) March 10, 2026

Ishaan’s performance in the tournament

Ishan was the fourth batsman to score the most runs in the T20 World Cup. He scored 317 runs in 9 innings of 9 matches at an average of 35.22 and strike rate of 193.29. During this period, he scored 3 half-centuries. In this way Ishaan showed his magic with the bat in the World Cup.

Also read: IPL 2026 schedule will be released on this date, BCCI Secretary gave a big update; with a twist too

Kirti Azad Questioned Celebration Of Team India: Team India has won the title of ICC T20 World Cup 2026. After this victory, there is an atmosphere of celebration in the entire country. The Indian team has won the T20 World Cup title for the record third time, but meanwhile, former Indian cricketer and current TMC MP Kirti Azad has made a controversial post on social media. This post of his has created an uproar. Kirti Azad, in her social media post, has taken a dig at Team India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav and current ICC chief Jai Shah.

Kirti Azad’s controversial post

Kirti Azad wrote on social media platform We had brought the trophy to our religious birthplace, our motherland India-Hindustan. Why is the Indian cricket team’s trophy being dragged now? Why not a mosque? Why not church?

SHAME ON TEAM INDIA!

When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu Muslim Sikh and Christian in the team.

We brought the trophy to our religious birth place our motherland India Bharat Hindustan

Why The Hell Is The Indian Cricket Trophy is being Dragged.…

— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 9, 2026

Kirti Azad took a dig at Suryakumar Yadav

Kirti Azad, in her post, took a dig at Suryakumar Yadav and Jai Shah and wrote, ‘This team represents India, not the family of Suryakumar Yadav or Jai Shah. Siraj never took the trophy to the mosque. Sanju never took it to church. Sanju played an important role in this and was the best player of the tournament. This trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians of every religion. No place to celebrate the victory of any one religion.

Who is Kirti Azad?

Kirti Azad is a former Indian cricketer, who was a part of the 1983 World Cup winning team. After his cricketing career, Azad has been active in politics for decades. He has played 7 Test and 25 ODI matches for India. Azad scored 135 runs in Test cricket and took 3 wickets in bowling. Apart from this, he scored 269 runs in ODI and has 7 wickets in his name in bowling.

By defeating New Zealand, the Indian team has won the title of ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Team India has become the only team, which has captured the trophy twice back to back. On one hand, India’s spectacular victory is being celebrated in the country, while on the other hand, a social media post by former cricketer and leader Kirti Azad has created an uproar. Azad has taken on ICC Chairman Jay Shah and Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav.

Actually, after winning the World Cup, Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC Chairman Jay Shah had reached Hanuman Temple in Ahmedabad. Where Surya comes to visit with the ICC T20 World Cup trophy. Whose video is going viral on social media. Now Kirti Azad has targeted this.

What did Kirti Azad say?

Kirti Azad posted on X and wrote, Shame on Team India! When we won the World Cup in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev, there were Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian players in our team. We brought the trophy to our religious birthplace, our motherland India (Hindustan). Why is the Indian cricket trophy being dragged? Why not a mosque? Why not church? Why not Gurudwara? This team represents India – not Suryakumar Yadav or Jay Shah’s family! Siraj never took the trophy to the mosque. Sanju never took it to church. Sanju played an important role in this and was the best player of the tournament. This trophy belongs to 14 lakh Indians of every religion – not a place to celebrate the victory of any one religion!’

SHAME ON TEAM INDIA!

When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu Muslim Sikh and Christian in the team.

We brought the trophy to our religious birth place our motherland India Bharat Hindustan

Why The Hell Is The Indian Cricket Trophy is being Dragged.…

— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 9, 2026

Who is Kriti Azad?

Kirti Azad is a cricketer turned politician. At present he is the leader of Trinamool Congress. Before this he had also been in BJP and Congress. In the year 1990, he started his political innings by saying goodbye to cricket. He was the BJP MLA from Gol Market Assembly seat of Delhi from 1993 to 1998. In 1999, BJP gave him Lok Sabha ticket from Darbhanga. Where he registered victory. He hoisted the flag in 2009 and 2014 also.

He was suspended from the party for raising the issue of irregularities and corruption in DDCA and accusing late leader Arun Jaitley. After this he joined Congress in 2019. Contested elections from Dhanbad from Congress but lost. After Congress he joined TMC.

Talking about his cricket career, Azad was a right-handed batsman and off-spinner. He played 25 ODI matches for India. Apart from this, he also played test matches. He made his Test debut in Wellington during the Australia and New Zealand tour in 1980–81. Kirti Azad was also included in the Indian team that won the World Cup in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Kirti Azad’s two sons are also cricketers.

The government of Pakistan has decided not to play the match against India in the T-20 World Cup. On this matter, the Pakistan government said in a statement issued on its social media account that it has given permission to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the tournament, but the team will not take the field in the match against India in Colombo on 15 February. With this decision, the ongoing speculation regarding Pakistan’s participation in the tournament ended. ABP News spoke to Lok Sabha member and former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad on this issue.

Kirti Azad was asked that Pakistan has refused to play against India in the T-20 World Cup. On this, the former Indian cricketer said that Pakistan knows that it cannot win against India, hence why doesn’t it die? He is doing this to save his honour, but when the terrorist attack happened in Pahalgam, we should not have played only then, we should have given a strong message that Pakistan is a terrorist country and we cannot play cricket matches against it.

The final decision will be taken by the government

This decision has come to the fore in an environment of increased political tension in the region, with the tournament being jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The government said on social media, ‘The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan approves the participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, however, the Pakistan cricket team will not take the field in the scheduled match against India on 15 February 2026.’ Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had said that after Bangladesh was thrown out of the tournament, the final decision on the team’s participation will be taken by the government.

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