From court to political corridor, Leander Paes serves up BJP entry

New Delhi: Indian tennis legend Leander Paes joined the BJP here on Tuesday ahead of the West Bengal elections, saying it is “not just a formality but a responsibility” and also a big opportunity to serve the nation.

Welcoming him into the BJP fold, Union minister Kiren Rijiju hoped he will “now play a bigger innings in politics” from the party’s platform. Paes, 52, joined the party in the presence of senior party leaders, including Rijiju and cabinet colleague Sukanta Majumdar, national general secretary Arun Singh and chief spokesperson Anil Baluni.

The tennis star had recently met BJP chief Nitin Nabin in Kolkata, setting off speculation about him joining the party.

However, this is not Paes’s first brush with politics. He had joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021 and campaigned for the party during the Goa elections in 2022. He did not contest the elections.

Rijiju said its a “moment of pride” that such a “legendary player and iconic personality” in the sports field has joined the party with a larger purpose of serving the nation.

“Leander Paes’s entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) family today marks a historic moment. He has joined our ranks by formally becoming a member of the party as he was inspired and deeply impressed by the work that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done in the sports sector over the past 12 years,” the senior BJP leader said told a press conference at the party headquarters.

“This is truly a moment to celebrate. I believe he will now play bigger innings in politics from the BJP’s platform. With his experience, knowledge and commitment, he will also give further momentum to the sports movement in India and serve the country,” he added.

Addressing the press conference, Paes said his decision to join the BJP was driven by a commitment to serve the country by empowering its youth through sports, education and skill development.

Joining the BJP is “not just a formality but a responsibility”, he said, adding, it’s a “big opportunity” to serve the nation, especially youth.

“This opportunity in sports, sports education, youth and service to the country is a very big one for me... Today, India is the youngest nation in the world. We have 745 million youth under the age of 26,” he said.