Manoj Tiwary, a former Indian cricketer and outgoing Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), has made explosive allegations against the TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI), Tiwary stated that his political career with the TMC is over, claiming he was denied a ticket for the Shibpur constituency because he refused to pay ₹5 crore (approximately $600,000 USD). Tiwary, who served as the Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs in West Bengal, expressed frustration over his inability to implement sports initiatives during his tenure, attributing this to political interference from TMC leader Aroop Biswas. He claimed that a significant ₹700 crore (roughly $84 million USD) sports budget was wasted due to mismanagement and that he was sidelined from key events, including the controversial visit of football icon Lionel Messi to Kolkata. Tiwary criticized the TMC government for prioritizing personal interests over public welfare, stating that his attempts to advocate for sports development were consistently thwarted. He expressed disappointment in the government's response to his concerns, indicating that he believes the current administration is unsustainable.