 "Gautam Gambhir joins BJP: Ex-cricketer may be fielded from New Delhi Lok Sabha seat, claim sources")
Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad. The ministers presented the ex-cricketer with flowers and a BJP sash to welcome him.
Delhi: Former Cricketer Gautam Gambhir joins Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) in the presence of Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad pic.twitter.com/EYmhfSSMy7
— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2019
Gambhir, speaking at the event held at the BJP headquarters to ark his induction, said that he has “done what he could” for the country during his time playing cricket, and by joining the party he will get an opportunity to “do more.” He further said that he was influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. The former cricketer, in the past, has made no secret of his political leanings. He has squarely defended BJP-led government’s strong reaction to Pulwama attack.
While our men are being mercilessly killed why should we give security to Hurriyat leaders? Come on @BJP4India lets do away with any such gestures. And in case whom must these leaders fear? We need security FROM Hurriyat rather than FOR them #PulawamaAttack
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 16, 2019
We decided the time, we decided the place and we have decided the fate 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 @IAF_MCC @adgpi #SurgicalStrikes2 #airstrikes
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 26, 2019
BJP sources told PTI that Gambhir may be fielded from the New Delhi constituency, currently represented by the party’s Meenakshi Lekhi. A final decision is yet to be taken though, they added. Gambhir had campaigned for Jaitley in the 2014 general elections in Punjab’s Amritsar. However, the finance minister had lost the election to Congress’s Amarinder Singh, who is currently serving as chief minister of the state. Gambhir’s support for the BJP started long before formally joining the party. He has also been a vocal critic of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi.
If our lowest denominator has a voice and it is being heard then we are a thriving Republic. I am proud to say we are. Do you agree? #RepublicDay
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) January 26, 2019
Thanks @narendramodi @PMOIndia for the kind words. Nothing of this would have been possible without love and support of our fellow countrymen. All these deeds are dedicated to our country. pic.twitter.com/3P3HcViIJ5
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 16, 2018
Indian Army ने यह जंग भी शुरू नहीं करी but they will bloody well finish it and I am with them emotion-to-emotion, shoulder-to-shoulder.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 17, 2019
Today’s newspapers seemed to me a “Mall Of Kejriwal” with @AamAadmiParty advertisements splashed all over. Is this the taxpayer’s money being splurged callously? Can someone from his office or @AamAadmiParty explain? And we thought CM didn’t have money to contest elections!!! pic.twitter.com/gJig0F06yu
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 23, 2019
Even leaders of @BJP4India & @INCIndia should do advertising campaigns from their own pocket rather than using taxpayer’s money. That money should only and only be for development and uplifting of a common man.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 23, 2019
Surely a human life is worth much more than INR 5 lakh @ArvindKejriwal. It underlines what our machinery thinks about us, d common man. Compensation is merely a bandaid on an oozing wound whereas Delhi needs surgeries and it should begin with a systemic overhaul @AamAadmiParty
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 12, 2019
The former cricketer is not the only public figure who has recently joined the saffron party. Actress Isha Koppikar also joined the party on 27 January this year . She has been given the charge of Women Transport Wing as its working president. Two Bengali film stars, Biswajit Chatterjee and Mousumi Chakraborty, are also among the list of celebrities who have joined the BJP. They were inducted in the party in Delhi in the presence of BJP leader Mukul Roy and party observer in Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya, Deccan Herald reported. According to Hindustan Times, other prominent Bollywood names doing the rounds to join the party include actors Akshay Kumar, who may contest a Lok Sabha seat from Punjab or Delhi, Anupam Kher from Delhi and Nana Patekar from Maharashtra. Kumar is a Canadian citizen and he will have to take up Indian citizenship to contest the election. With inputs from PTI
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