Former India and Bengal fast bowler Ashok Dinda has been appointed as the Sports Minister of the new government of West Bengal.
Elections were held in the Indian state of West Bengal in April, the results of which were declared on 4 May. Dinda won the Moyna constituency, contesting from the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP will form a new state government on 206 out of 294 seats in the state.
Ashok Dinda is now a two-time MLA
Dinda had also won Moyna constituency during the last elections in 2021. At that time, his party had not won enough constituencies to form the government.
Dinda’s appointment as sports minister means that West Bengal will have a cricketer as sports minister in two consecutive cabinets. Former India batsman Manoj Tiwari was the Sports Minister in the previous government formed by Trinamool Congress.
Unlike Dinda, Tiwari was an active cricketer while a minister and also captained Bengal in the Ranji Trophy.
Ashok Dinda – Sports Minister of Bengal. Congratulations @dindaashoke
– Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) 8 May 2026
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