Tennis Legend Leander Paes Joins BJP Ahead Of Elections

Indian tennis great Leander Paes on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, adding star power to the party's campaign ahead of the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections. Paes formally joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of senior party leaders, days after meeting state BJP chief Nitin Nabin in Kolkata, which had fuelled speculation about his political move. Welcoming him into the party, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "There is no need for a separate introduction of the legendary Leander Paes. Across India, there is no need to explain who Leander Paes is. Even so, today, Leander Paes' entry into the BJP family is historic. Inspired by the work Prime Minister Modi has done for sports and athletes over the past 12 years, Leander Paes has joined our party as a BJP member…"