National News

New Delhi: BJP MP Gautam Gambhir Quits Politics, Prioritizes Cricket Over Lok Sabha Ticket Pursuit

Former cricketer and East Delhi BJP MP, Gautam Gambhir, shocks the party by withdrawing from politics, opting to prioritize his cricket commitments over seeking a Lok Sabha ticket.

Sentinel Digital Desk

Published:2nd Mar, 2024 at 2:40 PM

NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir, a former-cricket star and BJP Representative from East Delhi, has chosen to leave politics to focus on cricket. This sudden change takes him out of the running for a Lok Sabha seat from the BJP. Inside sources say that Gambhir wasn't on the BJP's state group's candidate list for East Delhi or any other place.

Via social media, Gambhir shared his choice. He asked BJP Party Chief JP Nadda to let him step back from political duties. He thanked both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for allowing him to serve the people. A top party person said Gambhir made this announcement after a talk with BJP national head JP Nadda. During this meeting, he delivered his decision to step away from the party.

“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.

Insider information suggests that Virendra Sachdeva and Harsh Malhotra, Delhi BJP head and general secretary, respectively, were proposed candidates for East Delhi. Even though Gambhir won by a clear majority in East Delhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party was thinking about other choices.

The BJP saw East Delhi as a sure win and a "Punjabi seat". They didn't see Gambhir's choice coming, especially since they talked about his ticket distribution just last week. Top party figures were believed to be supporting another ticket for him. In the 2019 elections, the BJP took more than 56% of the vote share in Delhi. Gambhir was a key player in this victory in East Delhi.

Since Gambhir backed out surprisingly, the East Delhi ticket might go to either Bollywood star Akshay Kumar or Harsh Malhotra. Both are now in the running. Gambhir stepping down, the party's rethinking its tactics for the coming election as his influence on past vote counts was big. The BJP, however, insists on keeping its powerful stand in the capital, regardless of this unexpected twist.