Indian tennis legend Leander Paes has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. The event was attended by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar.
Leander Paes Joins BJP
New Delhi: India's legendary tennis player Leander Paes has now entered politics. He has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His move is being seen as a major political signal, especially ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and senior BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar were also present when Paes joined the party.
Renowned tennis player Leander Paes joins BJP in the presence of senior BJP leaders in New Delhi. #JoinBJP pic.twitter.com/z7LQz3VFC4
— BJP (@BJP4India) March 31, 2026
Indian tennis legend Leander Paes, who had been associated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) since 2021, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His move comes as a major blow to the TMC just ahead of the West Bengal elections for 294 assembly seats. Speculation about his joining the party had intensified after BJP President Nitin Naveen met with Paes during his visit to Bengal.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju welcomed Paes into the party with a bouquet of flowers and a membership slip. BJP leader Soumik Bhattacharya was also present. Rijiju described the event as historic, saying that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sports and athletes have received unprecedented encouragement in the last 12 years.
After joining the BJP, Leander Paes described it as a special day in his life. He expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Nitin Naveen. Paes said he now wants to use his experience for the development of youth and sports. He said, "I have played for the country for 40 years, now it's time to serve the youth."
Paes also praised the central government's sports programs. He described the "Khelo India" campaign and the "TOPS" scheme as important for athletes. He also said that the hard work of the government and the Sports Ministry was clearly visible in the athletes' performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
Leander Paes was born on June 17, 1973, in Kolkata. His father, Vece Paes, won a bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, while his mother, Jennifer Paes, was the captain of the Indian basketball team. Paes created history by winning a bronze medal in the tennis singles category at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He has received honors such as the Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan.
