Leander Paes’ decision brings spotlight on sportspersons in politics
Tennis legend Leander Paes’ decision to switch to the BJP after a five-year association with the Trinamool Congress brought back the spotlight on sportspersons in politics on Tuesday.
While some rose high to become cabinet ministers, some others garnered mixed results electorally and are still finding their way. PTI takes a glance at some prominent names who made the daring career shift.
Mohammad Azharuddin:
The former Indian cricket captain joined Congress in 2009 and became an Lok Sabha member from Moradabad, UP in the same year. But he lost the subsequent Lok Sabha and assembly elections in 2014 and 2023.
After a brief stint as Hyderabad Cricket Association chief, Azhar was drafted in as a cabinet minister in Revanth Reddy’s dispensation in Telangana, holding the portfolio of Minister for Public Enterprises & Minority Welfare.
Navjot Singh Sidhu:
The former India opener worked in multiple parties — BJP, Congress and his very own Aawaz-e-Punjab. He won the 2004 and 2009 general elections on a BJP ticket. But in 2017, he joined Congress and won the assembly election from Amritsar East.
In the 2022 State polls he lost to his AAP rival from the same constituency. Right now, he is on a political sabbatical.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore:
The ace shooter, who fetched India’s first-ever shooting silver in Olympics, joined BJP in 2013 and was elected to Lok Sabha in the 2014 general elections from Jaipur.
He won in the 2019 polls as well. In 2023, he shifted to State politics and won the election that year, subsequently resigning from LS.
Saina Nehwal:
The former World Number 1 and London Olympics bronze winning badminton ace joined the BJP in 2020 along with her sister but is yet to try her fortunes in elections.
Gautam Gambhir:
The two-time World Cup winner and the current coach of India’s cricket team entered politics through BJP in 2019. In the same year, he won the general election from East Delhi.
But in 2024, he moved away from active politics to revive his sporting career as a cricket coach.
Kirti Azad:
The 1983 World Cup-winner first entered politics through BJP and won an assembly and Lok Sabha election from Darbhanga, Bihar. But in 2015, Azad was suspended by BJP for his tiff with senior leader Arun Jaitely and he moved to Congress later in 2019.
In 2021, he moved to Trinamool Congress, and returned to the lower house through a victory from the Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency in West Bengal.
Vinesh Phogat-Bajrang Punia:
The accomplished and equally controversial wrestlers joined the Congress party together in 2024 after agitating aggressively against the then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
