‘Choose the date carefully next time’

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma waded into why India lost to Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

“We lost because the match was held on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who imposed an Emergency in the country.

“I will advise the BCCI to choose the date carefully next time for an important match. When there are no birthdays or birth anniversaries of the Gandhi family,” he said at an election campaign meeting on Wednesday.

His comment comes a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reportedly blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the Ahmedabad stadium for the Indian cricket team losing during an election meeting in Rajasthan.

The Congress leader implied that the PM had jinxed India’s cricket team by his presence at the World Cup final.

Such remarks are due to Congress’s “frustration” that it is losing Assembly polls, says the BJP.