=KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: Olympic bronze medallist and multiple Grand Slam doubles champion Leander Paes crossed over to the BJP on Tuesday, exiting the Trinamool Congress after a brief stint.At BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Paes, 52, framed the move as a new “responsibility” after four decades in sport. “I have played for the country… I wish to serve youth and countrymen now,” he said, thanking PM Narendra Modi for the opportunity. Party functionaries pitched the tennis legend’s entry as a signal to urban voters and younger demographics, pushing back against criticism that the BJP focuses narrowly on Hindu causes.Junior Union minister Sukanta Majumdar called Paes “a son of Bengal”, citing his upbringing in Kolkata and lineage tracing back to 19th-century poet and playwright Michael Madhusudan Dutt. Party functionaries expect his profile — Christian, Goan roots, Kolkata upbringing — to widen outreach among non-Hindu communities and the urban middle class.Paes had met BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Kolkata last week, fuelling speculation. He was inducted by the minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju along with senior netas. BJP insiders said his proximity to Rijiju dates back to 2019–21, when the latter handled the sports portfolio.“We have 74.5 crore youth. We need to build a future for them,” Paes said.Rijiju called the entry a “moment of pride”, describing Paes as an iconic figure inspired by the government’s sports push.Paes had joined Trinamool in 2021 and campaigned in the Goa polls during the party’s expansion attempt that later faltered.Trinamool’s reaction ranged from guarded to pointed. One functionary declined to comment. Another said, “The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, will be discussed in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Our MP, Saugata Roy, will speak against it. Hopefully, Paes will express his views on this since Trinamool and the Christian community oppose the bill strongly. Now that he will campaign, we hope he will open up on the anti-conversion statutes in 13 states.”Voices from sports and Christian circles struck mixed notes. Former India Davis Cup captain Jaidip Mukerjea said sportspersons should focus on sport. “Joining just before assembly elections also isn’t proper… timing wrong,” he said. Father Gregory Monteiro called the move unexpected but a personal choice, hoping it would benefit the community.
