Bengal’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday promised to bring back Argentinian football star Lionel Messi to Kolkata if the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in the state.
“Bring the BJP to power. If Hyderabad can do it, if Devendra Fadnavis can do it, if Rekha Gupta’s Delhi can do it, then when the BJP comes to power in Bengal, we will bring Messi. We will show how to organise a football match properly, just like Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Have faith,” Adhikari declared during a public rally in Lenin Nagar, North 24 Parganas on Sunday.
He also went on to blast the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) allegeging mismanagement and lack of provisions to handle such a large crowd. He also accused CM Mamata Banerjee’s government of “scamming” people with their “loot fest”. Further, he demanded the termination of Bengal’s Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and Fire Minister Sujit Basu as a part of his offensive.
Adhikari’s statement comes in the wake of the controversial incident at Kolkata’s Yuva Bharati Stadium, which has sparked widespread criticism and drawn comparisons to other states that have successfully managed high-profile sporting events. With elections approaching, the opposition has seized upon the incident to fault the state administration, turning the episode into a flashpoint in Bengal’s political discourse. Emphasising governance and event management, Adhikari highlighted how Bengal has lagged behind other BJP-ruled states in hosting international-level sporting events.
Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata, part of his GOAT India Tour 2025, was meant to be a momentous occasion for fans in the football crazy city. However, the highly anticipated event at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) descended into disarray amid significant crowd frustration and organisational lapses. Many of the estimated 50,000 spectators, some of whom paid between ₹4,000 and ₹20,000 for tickets, were unable to see Messi clearly as he was quickly surrounded by a large group of politicians, VIPs and security personnel upon entering the ground, forming a virtual barrier between him and the paying audience. Within minutes of his arrival, Messi’s planned lap of honour and interaction with fans were abruptly cut short for safety reasons, and he was escorted off the field only about 20 minutes after he stepped onto the pitch. This early exit triggered widespread anger among attendees, with objects such as bottles and chairs thrown from the stands, banners and seating vandalised, and large sections of the crowd spilling onto the field in protest.
The situation triggered visible anger among sections of the crowd, while the Chief Minister reportedly cut short her visit and returned upon being informed of the unrest. In connection with the incident, main organizer Satadru Dutta has been arrested by Bidhan Nagar police, and investigations are ongoing.
