The Telegraph report of October 12, 2011

Ranchi, Oct. 12: Jharkhand may have committed a marketing blunder by not flaunting Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s state connections, but no one in the ruling establishment, least of all the chief minister, is willing to admit it.

Clearly, Arjun Munda was on the backfoot yesterday on the question of a brand ambassador for Jharkhand, putting the onus on “busy” Dhoni and appealing to his sense of duty towards his home state for volunteering for the job.

“I already consider him the brand ambassador of Jharkhand as he has brought the state on the global map,” revealed Munda. “But being the son of the state, it is also his duty to do something for Jharkhand,” he told The Telegraph which carried a report today (see grab) on how Jharkhand had perhaps underestimated Dhoni’s draw and restricted his role to promoting the state’s ample forest wealth. Munda even delved into the past, lest anyone doubt his, or the state’s, intentions.

“We planned to felicitate Dhoni for the World Cup victory along with all the athletes who had bagged medals for the state during the 34th National Games on a single stage. But we are yet to get a date from him,” he pointed out. Dhoni, he took pains to add, happened to be the first player from undivided Bihar to lead the Indian cricket team, thus creating a suitable environment for developing sports, particularly cricket, in the state.

Munda’s spirited defence of his government notwithstanding, his political arch rival Babulal Marandi sensed an opportunity. Mincing no words, he squarely blamed the state government for not making the best use of Jharkhand’s most famous son.

“It is a pity that Madhu Koda appointed a little known Bollywood starlet as brand ambassador of Jharkhand and Shibu Soren also did nothing to tap the potential of Dhoni, a local boy with a global face,” Marandi said, referring to one Koena Mitra who ended up sharing dais space with the then chief minister during a few functions.

Dhoni, who was in Ranchi in June for a felicitation ceremony for winning the World Cup, said his association with Jharkhand would help promote sports in the state.

“I always wanted to do something for sports in this state and I am grateful that the government has agreed to give me land for a state-of-the-art sports academy,” the Team India skipper had said on the chief minister’s offer of five acres of land to help him fulfil that dream.

But, Munda pointed out today that there had been no formal proposal from Dhoni.

The June felicitation was organised in a hurry at the residence of Dhoni’s long-time associate, deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto, as the chief minister was out of the country.

Thereafter, the state’s art, culture, sports and youth affairs department, which is under Mahto, had also initiated a search for a suitable plot and activated the Ranchi district administration.

But, so far no land has been identified for Dhoni.

Ranchi deputy commissioner K.K. Soan claimed the administration hadn’t given up. “We have the land, but first we want to find out informally about its suitability for Dhoni’s sports academy. We will make a formal offer to Dhoni soon,” he promised.