Stalin to Smriti, how India’s top politicians are sweating it out beyond the political arena

Stalin, 69, who is known to be a fitness enthusiast, said, “I am not boasting. People do pose such questions to me (on whether he and his 44-year-old son are siblings) on many occasions, particularly when I undertake overseas visits. I take care of my body whenever I find time, considering the nature of my job.”

#TamilNadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s workout video at the gym goes viral. #MkStalin #Gym #Workout #Trending #Fitness

Follow live updates: https://t.co/nrmIYWw95m pic.twitter.com/5vID34lVoS

— Express Chennai (@ie_chennai) August 21, 2021

Ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections, in what was seen as an attempt to appeal to the youth, Stalin had gone in for an image makeover – sporting dark shades and sneakers, and jettisoning his white shirt and veshti for colourful shirts and T-shirts, trousers, jeans, even track pants.

Stalin may be no Putin, but his fitness goals – and workout videos – are no less intense. On Sunday, another video of Stalin pumping iron at a gym, this time wearing fluorescent shorts and a sleeveless shirt, made the rounds of social media.

If Stalin was fighting off age, in another part of the country, the young Tejashwi Yadav was fighting impressions.

Recently, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly asked the RJD leader to “lose some weight”, Tejashwi, now Bihar’s Deputy CM, was seen working out and playing cricket. The RJD even released a video – a purported show of strength, in response to the unkind jibe by the PM — that featured Tejashwi, in T-shirt and shorts, pulling a jeep with his hands. As the amused jeep’s driver steers the wheel, Yadav manages to push the vehicle to its parking shed, and even pulls it back.

तुझे रुकना नहीं
तुझे झुकना नहीं
तेरी है जमीं तू बढ़ता चल
तारों के हाथ पकड़ता चल
तू एक है प्यारे लाखों में
तू बढ़ता चल
ये रात गई
वो सुबह नई

डटे रहो राहों में मंजिल मिल ही जाएगी
हालात कितने भी विषम हों अधीर न बनो… pic.twitter.com/lZRLKA9tNY

— Office of Tejashwi Yadav (@TejashwiOffice) July 25, 2022

In another video he shared on his Twitter account on July 17, Tejashwi, a former professional cricketer, is seen playing some clean shots with his bat and bowling some quick deliveries. “Life or game, one should always play to win,” read the accompanying post.

Life or game, one should always play to win. The more you plan in head, the more you perform on field.

Pleasure to try hands on bat & ball after ages. It becomes more satisfying when driver, cook, sweeper, gardener & care takers are your playmates and keen to hit & bowl you out. pic.twitter.com/ChvK9evzi2

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 17, 2022

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who has been dealt many a below-the-belt blows, is no mean hand himself. A black belt in Aikido, Rahul demonstrated moves from the Japanese martial arts form to students of St. Joseph’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Mulagumoodu, Tamil Nadu, in March 2021.

In a video shared on Instagram, Rahul, after demonstrating his Aikido moves, is asked by a student to do push-ups – and the Congress leader readily obliges.

It was in 2017, while in conversation with boxer Vijender Singh, during a meeting of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, that Rahul first spoke of his Aikido skills. “I am a black belt in Aikido – have you heard of it? But I don’t talk about it publicly. I try to do one hour of sports every day, though I admit I haven’t been doing much in the past three-four months.”

In November 2021, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who isn’t known to pull her punches, too, had shared glimpses from her workout and weight-loss regimen.

Many of Irani’s followers on her Instagram page had commented on her “transformation”, saying her new look reminded them of her soap opera days, when she played Tulsi Virani in the popular TV show, Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

In 2017, Union minister Kiren Rijiju had posted workout videos of himself and his colleague Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore – the Olympian is known to maintain a strict fitness regimen – as they effortlessly lifted weights, and did crunches and push-ups.

In a tweet, Rijiju said, “Young friends, stay away from drugs, be fit. Let’s build @narendramodi ji’s #NewIndia dream. I took out 30 mins from work to respond @Ra_THORe”.

While campaigning for the 2019 elections, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik had shared a video of him jogging and lifting weights, along with the caption, “Getting ready to fight for the people of Odisha.”

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) releases video of Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s exercise regime. The CM says, “Getting ready to fight for the people of Odisha”. pic.twitter.com/C15SqZRvoJ

— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2019