Indian tennis icon Leander Paes has become the latest addition to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s growing list of high-profile personalities from diverse fields.
Paes, who recently met BJP national president Nitin Nabin, formally joined the party at an event in Kolkata on Tuesday, just days ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Sukanta Majumdar were also present at the event.
"Leander Paes' entry into the BJP family today is historic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has championed sports and athletes over the past 12 years," said Rijiju.
Paes had previously joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021 and campaigned for the party during the Goa elections in 2022.
Having won eight men’s doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles over a career spanning more than three decades, Leander Paes retired from professional tennis in 2020. He remains the only Indian tennis player to have won an Olympic medal, securing a bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Paes has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan.
With his induction just ahead of the polls, the BJP aims to strengthen its outreach to younger voters and sports enthusiasts.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will take place on April 23 and 29, with vote counting scheduled for May 4.
