The West Bengal Government will, on Tuesday (May 29), felicitate team members of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). A special ceremony in this regard will be organised at Eden Gardens.
KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan is the brand ambassador or Bengal.
Congratulating the team on their maiden IPL title, the Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, on Monday announced that felicitation ceremony will be open to all.
“There will be no tickets for the ceremony and it will be open to every person. People will be allowed entry on a first come basis,” she told reporters at Writers' Buildings. KKR team members are expected to visit the Chief Minister at the Secretariat tomorrow.
The felicitation ceremony will have three Bengal rock brands – Chandrabindoo, Bhoomi and Dohar – belting out popular numbers. A cultural show will also be organised.
“This apart if the KKR team wants to arrange any programme for the crowds they are free to do so,” Ms Banerjee added.
The players, who arrive from Chennai this evening, will be taken tomorrow morning in a procession with the IPL trophy from Hazra crossing in South Kolkata to Writers Building, a distance of six kilometres, where the Chief Minister would greet them, accompanied by team owner Shah Rukh Khan.
Jokes on social media
Microblogging sites are, meanwhile, abuzz with jokes over Mamata and her decision to felicitate KKR team members.
One such Twitter joke read: “Dear Dhoni you should be thankful to Gautam Gambhir. If he hadn't made KKR win IPL you would have been branded a Maoist by Mamata Banerjee.”
Another twitter joke read: “Mamata announces victory rally over KKR's win in IPL. Should've delayed the anti petrol price rise rally & done a 2 in 1 - austerity.”
“KKR SRK - Be warned, don't wear red otherwise you can be called Maoists” another of the jokes read.