Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh may be nominated to Rajya Sabha by the AAP in Punjab
Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh is likely to be nominated to Rajya Sabha from Punjab by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, sources have said.
The former off-spinner may be given charge of a new sports university in Jalandhar, which Mr Mann had promised to set up during the campaign for the elections held last month. The new Chief Minister has promised to make promoting sports a priority.
If he becomes a Rajya Sabha member, Mr Singh, 41, will enter a list of former sportspersons who have served as MPs, such as Sachin Tendulkar.
Before announcing his retirement, Mr Singh had met with Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, another former cricketer. A photo of the two on Twitter led to speculation of Mr Singh joining the Congress, which he denied later. The two have played Test cricket together in 1998.
The AAP, which has its roots in Delhi, decimated the ruling Congress to form government in a full-fledged state for the first time. AAP in Delhi under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal doesn't have all the powers that a Chief Minister in a full state has since Delhi is a Union Territory. The new AAP government in Punjab, however, will have the police department under its command.