Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: There has been a change in state politics for some time now. This time, there is a sign of a change in IFA as well, with Ajit Banerjee resigning from the post of president on Thursday evening. While Ajit Banerjee is known as the elder brother of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he is much more popular in Kolkata Maidan as 'Shasthida'. The man who knew the pulse of club football by roaming around the Jalkadar field became the IFA president and started his journey as an ordinary member of Kalighat Milan Sangha in the sixties. Ajatshatru Shasthi Biswas had no direct connection with any political party, and even when Mamata Banerjee was the Chief Minister, he was never seen to be excessively arrogant. He did not take any extra benefits. Therefore, after the change in the state, there was no pressure on him to take the post of IFA president.
However, Ajit Banerjee himself stepped down, realizing that his tenure as president could be blocked due to the rules of the central sports policy. The new national sports policy men will be elected in the IFA after the Puja. So before that, he informed the IFA Secretary Anirban Dutta and the members and officials of all the organizations affiliated with the state football association about his resignation. When contacted, Ajit Biswas said that he had long thought of stepping down as the president of the IFA due to age and physical reasons. But since the Kolkata League was going on, he had temporarily postponed it as it might cause problems in administrative work. Now that the league is in its final stage, it is at a final and final stage, so he has decided to step down.
Ajit Banerjee mentioned in his resignation letter, ' Being the president of the IFA is one of the greatest achievements of my life. As president, I have performed my duties with sincerity and dedication to the best of my ability. At the age I have reached now, I would have become unfit to hold this position within a few days. I thought it would be better to step down rather than wait for that time. I believe that the next generation of administrators will take Bengali football further. Even after stepping down from the post of president, my love for football will remain intact. IFA is like family to me. From now on, I will remain a well-wisher of IFA even outside the post.’
Since the change in state politics, various changes are taking place in various fields. It goes without saying that it will have an impact on IFA as well. The current secretary of IFA, Anibar Dutta, has had to deal with a lot of opposition at home and abroad. So far, when Mamata Banerjee was the Chief Minister, Ajit Banerjee, who was in the post of president, has handled all the storms that came against Anibar. Now, after Ajit Banerjee stepped down, it remains to be seen who or what will save Secretary Anibar from the hands of opposition. The biggest question is who will take over the post of president? An influential person from the current government in power in the state, or a seasoned field official? Kalyan Chaubey may lose the post of AAIFF president at the end of this year, unless the blessing of the central government rests on his head. Even if he loses the post of federation president, it can be said that Kalyan will not come to occupy any post in IFA. However, it would not be surprising if someone close to him, dear or follower sits on the IFA board. Kalyan's closeness with former secretary Joydeep Mukherjee has increased greatly. Therefore, someone of his choice can enter the fight for power in IFA. However, the indications so far are that Anirban Dutta can strengthen his friendship with the current state government and take over the post of president. Because in the new national sports policy, the real power will be in the hands of the president. The role of the secretary will be negligible. Therefore, it is better if someone who is a follower of Anirban sits as IFA secretary, but even if he does not sit, there will not be much problem for Anirban to run the IFA's work.