August 15, 2026 11:00 am (IST)

Make this your homepage

News

Ajit Doval breaks silence on Operation Sindoor in Discovery’s explosive new docuseries | Rahul Gandhi's 'mock hug' taunt sparks row; Centre stresses 'mutual respect' with Italy | Delhi on high alert: Bomb threat to High Court, airport and multiple locations ahead of I-Day | ‘Who are they to interfere?’: CJI Surya Kant slams Bar Council of India over NALSAR students’ enrolment row | 'Shows how low Congress has sunk': BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Modi foreign policy jibe | From guns to glamour: Former women Maoists walk the ramp in Chhattisgarh | Netaji row: Suvendu Adhikari govt strips BJP MP Anant Maharaj of state honour | Sukhbir Badal attacked by Nihang Sikh with kirpan at Maharashtra gurdwara; assailant detained | ‘If you cannot do it, we will pass an order’: Supreme Court’s final warning to Centre on food labels | ‘Time to move on’: Bombay HC sends strong message in Vijay Mallya-bank dispute

Leander Paes

Leander Paes joins BJP at the party's national headquarters. Photo: BJP Media Unit

Tennis icon Leander Paes joins BJP ahead of Bengal polls

India Blooms News Service | @indiablooms | Mar 31, 2026, at 01:14 pm

New Delhi/IBNS: Indian tennis icon Leander Paes joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.

Tennis icon Leander Paes joins BJP ahead of West Bengal assembly elections#LeanderPaes #BJP #WestBengal #BengalPolitics #TMC #IndianPolitics pic.twitter.com/cZXUqRMK7R
— India Blooms (@indiablooms) March 31, 2026

Paes, who had joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2021, formally switched sides at the party headquarters in the national capital.

He was inducted into the BJP in the presence of Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Sukanta Majumdar.

Paes is one of India’s most celebrated tennis players, known for his remarkable longevity and success on the global stage.

LIVE: Press conference at BJP HQ, New Delhi. https://t.co/dmeragHP6B
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) March 31, 2026

He rose to prominence after winning a historic bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, becoming the first Indian in decades to secure an individual Olympic medal.

Over the years, Paes established himself as a doubles specialist of the highest order, winning 18 Grand Slam titles—eight in men’s doubles and ten in mixed doubles. His contributions to the India Davis Cup team were equally significant, where he played a crucial role in several memorable victories, earning a reputation as a fierce competitor and leader.

Beyond tennis, Paes gradually stepped into public life and politics. In 2021, he joined the TMC ahead of the Goa Assembly elections, marking his formal entry into the political arena. His move was seen as an attempt to expand the party’s outreach beyond West Bengal.

#Leander Paes BJP # Leander Paes joins BJP # Leander Paes TMC exit # West Bengal elections # BJP West Bengal # TMC news # Indian tennis star politics # Kiren Rijiju # Sukanta Majumdar # BJP induction # political news India # Bengal politics

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.