Allegations against Narendra Modi are baseless, says Amit Shah

Chief minister Narendra Modi just can’t help staying out of controversies. Modi, who is also the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), on Thursday afternoon, categorically refuted all allegations that he had pressurised the promoters of the Kochi IPL team to withdraw.

The chief minister denied the allegations through a statement made on his behalf by state home minister Amit Shah.

Earlier in the day Satyajit Gaekwad, a former Congress MP from Vadodara, had spoken on behalf of Rendezvous Sports World and stated that IPL commissioner Lalit Modi and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi were putting pressure on them to give up their stake in the Kochi team.

Speaking on behalf of the Gujarat chief minister, state home minister Amit Shah who is also the vice-president of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), stated that, “the GCA or its president (Modi) has nothing to do with the entire controversy. Allegations levelled against him are baseless and politically-motivated.”

Speaking at a hurriedly convened press conference in Gandhinagar, Shah refuted allegations of a meeting between the owners of the Kochi team and the chief minister. When asked about his party’s alleged “admiration” for the Adani Group, Shah was miffed. “GCA has no role in backing any company,” he said, adding that “anyone across the globe can bid for an IPL franchise.”
He said that the franchise was awarded to the team after an open global tender.