Former India opener, Virender Sehwag has rejected the BJP’s offer to contest the Lok Sabha elections on party ticket citing personal reasons, a top leader of its Delhi unit said. However, the top leader asserted that Shewag’s former teammate Gautam Gambhir is “serious” regarding taking his first steps into politics and may contest the polls from Delhi.
Sehwag’s name was under consideration for the West Delhi seat that is currently being held by BJP MP Parvesh Verma. But, the former opener refused the offer citing personal reasons, the leader said.
He said, “Sehwag said he was not interested in politics or contesting elections.”
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In February, there were reports that Sehwag might contest the polls on BJP ticket from Rohtak in Haryana. But the former India opener had posted on Twitter, “Some things never change, like this rumor. Same in 2014, and no innovation even in Rumour in 2019. Not interested then, not interested now. #BaatKhatam #5YearChallenge (sic).”
Some things never change, like this Rumour. Same in 2014, and no innovation even in Rumour in 2019. Not interested then, not interested now. #BaatKhatam#5YearChallenge pic.twitter.com/XhY7TkxfpD
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 8, 2019
In July last year, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had met Sehwag as part of the party’s ‘Sampark for Samarthan’ initiative, giving rise to rumors that he may join the BJP.
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The top leader of the BJP’s Delhi unit said, “Gambhir has started attending meetings in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. He attended one such meeting organized by a resident welfare association in Defence Colony earlier this week.” On the other hand, Gambhir told PTI, “I have no clue of it. As of now, they are rumors.”
After Gambhir announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in December 2018 and soon after that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent him a congratulatory letter for his contribution to the sport as well for his efforts to bring “positive difference in the lives of the lesser privileged.”
After his retirement, there was speculation that Gambhir may join politics but he had categorically rejected it at that time. According to the recent announcements, Delhi will go to polls on May 12. BJP candidates for the seven parliamentary seats in the national capital are expected to be announced in the first week of April.
