Tennis legend Leander Paes has formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, marking a significant shift in his political journey after previous associations with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The move comes ahead of key elections in West Bengal and the upcoming Goa Assembly polls, signaling Paes’ entry into active politics with the ruling party.

Paes, who hails from Kolkata but resides in Goa, officially joined the BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi. He expressed gratitude to party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Nitin Nabin, calling his membership a responsibility to serve the youth and citizens of India. “BJP membership is a responsibility on me,” Paes said, highlighting his commitment to sports and youth empowerment.

This is not Paes’ first foray into politics. He had previously joined the TMC in 2014 and again in October 2021 in Goa, when he received the party flag from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Under the guidance of political strategist Prashant Kishor and the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), TMC sought to expand its footprint in Goa but faced limited success. Despite this, Paes’ earlier affiliations with TMC were largely symbolic, and he did not actively pursue a political career then.

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Paes’ illustrious sports career has been a defining part of his public image. He became a national hero after winning the bronze medal in men’s singles tennis at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and has an 18-Grand Slam-winning Davis Cup career. He has been honored with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and in 2024, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside legends like Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.

At the BJP event, Paes outlined his vision for sports in India, emphasizing infrastructure development, gender equality, and youth empowerment. “We do not have even a single indoor tennis court in the country, but we can work on that,” he said. He also praised the Khelo India Movement initiated under Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, which he credited for India’s improved performance at the Tokyo Olympics.

Union Minister Rijiju described Paes’ entry into the BJP as historic, noting that the tennis star’s global reputation and sports advocacy align with the party’s vision. As Paes begins his political journey with the BJP, all eyes are on how he will contribute to sports development and youth engagement ahead of the critical elections in West Bengal and Goa.

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