Snubbed from the ruling Trinamool Congress candidate list for the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, former India cricketer and state minister Manoj Tiwary said he has received an offer from the BJP but is yet to take a call on his political future, saying “time will tell”.
Tiwary, the sitting MLA from Shibpur and minister of state for sports, was denied renomination as the TMC opted for Dr Rana Chatterjee as its candidate from the constituency. Confirming that he has been approached by the BJP, the 40-year-old former batter said he was in no hurry to decide his next move.
“I’m not in that mindset right now to decide whether I will continue in politics or not,” Tiwary said on the sidelines of the Abhishek Dalmiya-organised NCC Baby League final at the Sambaran Banerjee Academy on Wednesday.
“I will think about it, speak to my wife and then decide what to do. People like me (hardworking, capable individuals) always have offers. Only time will tell,” he added. His possible move could be an interesting proposition, especially with his former Bengal teammate Ashok Dinda already a part of the BJP.
Dinda, now a BJP MLA, has been fielded from Moyna in the upcoming polls. Incidentally, while dropping Tiwary, the TMC has handed over a ticket to former Bengal pacer Shib Shankar Paul from the Tufanganj constituency.
Disappointed: Tiwary
Speaking to the media for the first time after the TMC snub, Tiwary did not hide his disappointment at being dropped.
“How can I say that I was not hurt?” he said. He further recalled how Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had called him more than a dozen times and personally convinced him to join the TMC ahead of the previous assembly elections.
“I still remember I was practising at the JU ground when I saw 13-14 missed calls from the honourable chief minister. I called back Didi, and she wanted me to join. I joined only because of Didi, especially after the way she had been insulted by heavyweight leaders at that time,” Tiwary said. Having transitioned from cricket to politics, Tiwary said his intention was always to serve people.
“I came through the grind while playing cricket, and I joined politics to serve the people. I never thought beyond cricket. But I still feel it was the correct decision,” he added. Defending his tenure as an MLA, he added, “With all honesty, I have worked. You can speak to the people of Shibpur… They will tell you whether I worked or not.”
TMC didn’t reach out: Tiwary
On whether he would campaign for the TMC candidate in Shibpur, Tiwary remained non-committal. “Time will tell.” He also said the party has not reached out to him since the announcement. Asked again about his emotional state, Tiwary said, “I’m a human being after all; I have feelings. Even after doing so much good work… but it was God’s will, I cannot do anything.”
Drawing from his cricketing career, he said it’s always team-first for him, be it on the cricketing field or on the political pitch. “I have represented at various levels — U-19, India A, East Zone. As a team man, we always play for the team. Here also it’s the same. If the team’s captain feels I am needed, that’s fine; if they don’t want me, that’s also fine,” he said.
A right-handed batsman, he played 12 ODIs and three T20Is for India, scoring a century in his international career spanning 2008-15. He was a prominent domestic player for Bengal, having led the team to the Ranji final in 2022-23. He also played 98 matches in the IPL for four franchises and was a member of the 2012 Kolkata Knight Riders triumphant squad.
