BJP may rope in Gautam Gambhir, MS Dhoni for 2019 General Elections
New Delhi, Oct 23 (IBNS): Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the architects who fashioned India's famous cricket world cup win in 2011 with the bat, might begin their political careers with the same party next year, media reports said.
The Sunday Guardian has reported that former Indian cricket captain Dhoni and southpaw Gambhir might contest 2019 General Elections, which are just few months away, in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s tickets.
The BJP is likely to replace its Member of Parliament (MP) Meenakshi Lekhi with Gambhir, who is a resident of Delhi. Lekhi is a sitting MP from New Delhi constituency.
A senior BJP leader told The Sunday Guardian, "Reports from the ground about Meenakshi Lekhi are not good. People from her constituency are not happy with her work and the party leadership has decided that she will not be repeated this time as a candidate from New Delhi. Gautam Gambhir, in most likelihood, will be the party’s candidate from the same seat. He has wide acceptability and is known for his social work. He is a Delhiite and will do his best for the people of Delhi.”
Senior BJP leaders even told the media outlet that Dhoni is likely to join the saffron outfit and contest the next Lok Sabha elections from a seat in Jharkhand, the home state of the world cup winning former skipper.
About Dhoni, the senior BJP leader told The Sunday Guardian, "Both players have wide acceptability, respect and credibility across the country and are regarded as leaders by all sections of society. They are not only leaders from their respective states, but also leaders of the country.
"Dhoni is currently the captain of the Chennai Super Kings team playing at the IPL (Indian Premier League) and thus has reach and mass base even in the southern parts of India. Both these players joining the party will be an asset for us."
Gambhir and Dhoni might even become the star-campaigner for the BJP in the whole country in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
While 37-year old Gambhir is presently busy in playing domestic cricket, Dhoni serves the Indian team only in limited overs cricket as a wicket-keeper batsman.
The media report also suggested poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas might also contest in BJP's ticket from Uttar Pradesh. He is the founding member of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and is still a part of the outfit.
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