Sourav Ganguly likely to accompany Mamata on her Spain trip

Kolkata: Former cricketer Sourav Ganguly will reportedly accompany Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her trip to Spain where she will be visiting to woo investors ahead of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) in November.

According to sources in the state secretariat, Mamata will be travelling to Spain from Dubai.

Now, it is learnt that Sourav may be present in Barcelona, Spain. Even as the cricketer has never directly got involved in politics, it was learnt that he too wants investment for Bengal.

Mamata’s scheduled 10-day visit to Dubai and Spain in September this year is to attract foreign investment after the state government has received clearance from the Centre.

Banerjee is expected to undertake the foreign trip in the second week of September. Sources said she will first go to Dubai and then to Spain. The State government had sought permission from the External Affairs Ministry.

She may meet non-resident industrialists in both countries. Earlier in 2021, Banerjee was not permitted by the Centre to visit Rome and Berlin. The Ministry of External Affairs did not give her permission during that time.

It was learnt that the Bengal CM may be touring both countries between September 13 and 23. The Chief Minister will also hold a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and Industrialists in both countries. The state has the World Bengal Trade Industry Conference in November after Durga Puja this year.

The World Bank has already expressed interest in lending to her government on easy terms. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier this year had announced a major investment by Tata Hitachi which is shutting down its unit at Jamshedpur and is shifting to Kharagpur in West Midnapore.