Tennis Legend Leander Paes Joins BJP Ahead of West Bengal Polls

New Delhi (IANS): Tennis icon Leander Paes formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, expressing his gratitude to Home Minister Amit Shah for the induction. Paes vowed to live up to the party’s trust with “dedication and sincerity” as he pivots from the tennis court to the political arena just weeks before the West Bengal Assembly elections.

In a post on X, Paes shared his excitement about the new chapter. “Deeply honoured and grateful to Shri Amit Shah Ji for inducting me into the BJP and reposing his trust in me,” he wrote. “Till today, I wore the Tiranga on my chest. Now I carry it on my shoulders too.” The Olympic medalist emphasized his commitment to empowering Indian youth and strengthening the nation’s sporting infrastructure.

Paes also thanked Nitin Nabin, the BJP’s national president, for his encouragement and inspiration during the transition. The move follows a meeting between Paes and Nabin in Kolkata last week, which had already sparked intense speculation about the athlete’s political future.

Welcoming the legend, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju termed the induction “historic.” Rijiju noted that Prime Minister Modi’s work for athletes over the last 12 years inspired Paes to join the “BJP family.”

This marks a significant political shift for Paes, who originally entered politics with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in 2021. While he campaigned for the AITC during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, he never contested a seat. His jump to the BJP comes at a critical juncture as West Bengal prepares for a high-stakes battle between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ruling party and the BJP.

West Bengal will head to the polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with results for all 294 constituencies scheduled for May 4.