MP Gautam Gambhir requests BJP to relieve him from political duties, to ‘focus on cricket’
According to sources, Gautam Gambhir’s decision took the BJP by surprise given the possibility of him being fielded again from East Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls.
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Gautam GambhirFormer cricketer and East Delhi BJP MP Gautam Gambhir on Saturday announced he was bowing out of politics to focus on the sport, in effect dropping out of the race for a Lok Sabha ticket from the party.
Gambhir, who party sources said did not figure on a panel of potential candidates — either from the Parliamentary constituency he represents or any other — suggested by the BJP’s state unit to its senior leadership, made the announcement in a post on X.
“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!” he posted.
I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) March 2, 2024
A senior party leader said Gambhir’s announcement came a day after he called on BJP national president JP Nadda at the latter’s residence where he is understood to have conveyed his decision to exit the party fold.
According to sources, Gambhir’s decision took the party by surprise given the possibility of him being fielded yet again from East Delhi “as per the national leadership’s wishes” till he stated he was opting out.
Designated as “a Punjabi seat” by the BJP leadership and considered its stronghold in the capital, party sources said its state election committee had suggested Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and general secretary Harsh Malhotra as probables from East Delhi.
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and Malhotra are now being considered front-runners for a ticket from East Delhi, sources said.
“Gambhir’s name did not figure on the final panel of potential candidates but leaders at the party’s most senior level were batting for one more ticket for him. This (his announcement) is completely unexpected,” a party leader said.
“Just last week, Gambhir’s name figured in discussions around ticket distribution in Delhi. The senior leadership was more than confident that he will deliver over and above 370 additional votes in each booth,” a source added.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had claimed over 56 per cent of the vote share in the city; Gambhir had swept the East Delhi seat with more than 55 per cent of the vote share while the Congress’s Arvinder Singh Lovely came second with over 24 per cent and AAP’s Atishi with around 17 per cent of the votes.
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