West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the Emami Group will sponsor the century-old East Bengal Football Club, ending uncertainty over whether it could play in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL).
After Shree Cements returned the sporting rights to the Kolkata-based football club soon after the Indian Super League, earlier this year, the East Bengal Club officials were in conversation with several investors. But eventually the Chief Minister had to once again intervene.
CM, after holding a meeting with senior office-bearers of East Bengal FC and Emami Group Director Aditya V Agarwal, said, “The Emami Group will be sponsoring the club. Both sides have agreed to it. This association will hopefully end the problems faced by East Bengal to play in the ISL.” She wished luck to the red-and-gold brigade.
“In Bengal, Didi (Banerjee) is the only Chief Minister who thinks about sports. I thank the Emami Group and we have decided to walk together in the future. We hope to improve the club’s performance and make all football fans happy,” East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar said.
On behalf of Emami Group, Aditya Agarwal said, “We thank the Chief Minister for offering us a chance to be associated with such a top club. Emami has been associated with East Bengal and football since the 1990s and now we are getting a second chance. We hope that we will be able to meet the expectations.”
