Former Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders captain and former India player, Gautam Gambhir joined Bhartiya Janta Party, here on Friday.
He was instrumental in India winning two world titles, first the inaugural world T20 in South Africa in 2007 where in the finals he was the highest run getter from both the sides as he scored 75 crucial runs for India. His innings was instrumental in India getting to a competitive total and then winning the game.
He was also the top run getter for India in the 2011 world cup whose final was held in Mumbai.
India was struggling at one point but he held the innings together and made a crucial 97 runs. People remember the innings by MSD, but it was Gambhir’s innings which kept India in the game. No doubt he was the man for big occasions.
He is expected to be fielded by the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from one of the seven seats in Delhi.
The former India batsmen joined the party in presence of Union Ministers, Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Gambhir said, “I am joining the BJP after getting influenced by PM Narendra Modi’s vision. I am honoured to get the opportunity to join this platform.”
It should be noted that he bid farewell to all forms of cricket after last year’s IPL.
He was recently conferred upon the Padma Shri Award.
The sources in the BJP say that he may be fielded from the New Delhi constituency, which is currently represented by the party’s Meenakshi Lekhi.
Though finance minister Jaitley said that Gambhir is an “important induction” into the BJP and the party will take a decision at an appropriate time if he need to be fielded in the upcoming elections, Gambhir also met with the party’s head, Amit Shah.
Gambhir was denying all the reports of him joining politics until two weeks back what made him change his mind suddenly is a question which no one asked? He used to constantly criticise the Delhi government so it was rumoured that he may join the BJP.
