Former India cricketer and outgoing Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Manoj Tiwary has announced that his association with the party is “over,” making serious allegations that he was denied a ticket from Howrah’s Shibpur constituency after refusing to pay ₹5 crore.
The 40-year-old, who is one of Bengal cricket’s most prolific run-scorers with 10,195 first-class runs, made the claims during an interview with PTI on Tuesday. Tiwary, who previously served as Minister of State for Sports in West Bengal, said he was not surprised by the political developments and strongly criticised the party’s internal functioning.
“Look, I am not at all surprised by this debacle. This was bound to happen when an entire party indulged in corrupt practices and there was no development in any sector,” Tiwary said.
He further alleged that ticket distribution within the party was influenced by money.
“Only those who could pay hefty amounts could buy tickets. At least 70–72 candidates this time paid around ₹5 crore to get a ticket. I was asked, but I refused to pay. As far as TMC is concerned, that chapter is over for me,” he added.
Tiwary also recalled his political journey, stating that he had initially declined offers to enter politics before eventually contesting the 2021 Assembly elections from Shibpur, a seat he went on to win. He said he decided to enter electoral politics believing he could bring meaningful change to his constituency.
“I had politely declined earlier, but before the 2021 elections, Didi called again and asked me to contest. I thought I could make a meaningful change,” he said.
The former India batter also alleged that his role as a minister was limited and symbolic, claiming there was a lack of internal democracy within the party.
“I was given a lollipop called MoS, which basically meant nothing. If I raised issues, I was told there was no time,” Tiwary alleged.
He further claimed that key civic issues in Howrah, particularly drainage and sewage systems, remained unresolved despite repeated efforts.
“Being a sitting MLA, I would run from pillar to post for drainage work, but basic development was ignored. I even spent my own money to complete some projects,” he said.
Tiwary also addressed past allegations of wrongdoing, including claims of extortion from builders in his constituency, strongly denying them. He highlighted his cricketing career and financial background to counter the accusations.
“I don’t need extortion money. I played IPL for 10 years and domestic cricket for two decades. I declared assets worth ₹20 crore. False allegations were made against me,” he said.
He also criticised state Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, accusing him of undermining his role and lacking understanding of sports administration.
Looking ahead, Tiwary said he is now focusing on a coaching career. Having cleared the BCCI Level 2 coaching examination, he has applied for the head coach position of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy team.
With these remarks, Manoj Tiwary’s exit marks a significant political development in West Bengal, as the former cricketer appears to close his chapter with the Trinamool Congress and shift his focus back to cricket in an administrative and coaching capacity.
