Indian tennis star Leander Paes has joined the Trinamool Congress in Goa, the party and its chief Mamata Banerjee announced on Twitter.
Banerjee is in Goa on a three-day visit to campaign for the state elections that will be held in February 2022. The party had recently announced its decision to contest the Goa polls.
Paes, who is from Kolkata, lives in Mumbai and visits Goa often.
Warmly welcoming legendary sportsperson @Leander who joined us today in the presence of our Hon'ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial!#GoenchiNaviSakal https://t.co/o05ddcH0Qb pic.twitter.com/PRgqvVhp1R
— AITC Goa (@AITC4Goa) October 29, 2021
The 18-time Grand Slam champion makes his foray into politics with this announcement. He was inducted into the party in the presence of the West Bengal chief minister, who described Paes as a "sweet and cute brother".
"We are extremely delighted to share that Shri Leander Paes joined us today in the presence of our Hon'ble Chairperson Mamata Banerjee," said the party on Twitter.
"Together, we shall ensure that every single person in this nation sees the Dawn of Democracy that we have been waiting for since 2014."
Said Mamata: "Happy to inform that Leander Paes joins TMC. He is my younger brother. I know him since I was the youth minister and he was very young."
Bollywood actor and politician Nafisa Ali also joined the TMC at the same event. She was earlier with the Indian National Congress.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee had defended her decision to fight the upcoming elections in Goa, saying, "If Bengal is my motherland, then Goa is also my motherland."
