In the midst of poll frenzy in the national Capital, the BJP on Wednesday had a prized joining as former world number one badminton player Saina Nehwal joined the saffron party hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an “inspiration” with his “hard work” for the country.
The BJP may deploy the “youth icon” in the ongoing Delhi election campaign, especially to reach out to the millennial voters and youngsters.
The 29-year-old badminton poster girl, who joined the BJP along with her elder sister Chandranshu at a ceremony at its headquarters here, said, “I am a hard-working person and like hard-working people. Narendra Modi sir has been working day and night for the country. If I can do something for the country with him, it will be my good fortune. I draw a lot of inspiration from Modi sir. He inspires me,” she said.
Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, while the BJP had seen the likes of cricketer Gautam Gambhir joining the party and going on to win from the East Delhi parliamentary constituency, it saw hockey players like Sandeep Singh and wrestler Babita Phogat join it to take the plunge in Haryana Assembly polls.
Nehwal has been vocal on Twitter in her support for the Union government’s policies. She said the BJP has been doing “a lot of good”, and she would work to do her bit as its member. Nehwal is the first Indian badminton player to have won an Olympic medal, a feat she achieved in the 2012 London games where she was a bronze medallist. The Padma and Arjuna awardee, who later met BJP president J P Nadda, also referred to the government’s ‘Khelo India’ initiative and praised it.
BJP general secretary Arun Singh told reporters that Saina has brought glory to the country with her 24 international titles, including gold in the Commonwealth Games, and the people of India are “proud” of her. “She is an inspirational figure,” he added.
The shuttler’s mother, Usha Rani, said, “I am very happy. Saina was doing well in sports and she will do well in politics also. BJP is doing good for the country, Saina is very hardworking and will work hard in this field as well.”