Indian hockey’s well known face Dhanraj Pillay has joined politics.
He has recently joined Aam Admi Party (Common man’ Party) and is expected to get ticket for contesting from Maharashtra
Indian sports persons liking for politics, especially from cricket and hockey are well known, and the interest shown by Dhanraj Pillay are quite in the order.
Dilip Tirkey, first person in the hockey world to crack 400 caps barrier, is currently Member of Parliament from Odhisa, his own state, having got the coveted entry into the Indian Parliament after the State’s ruling Party, Biju Janata Dal, offered him the 6-year seat.
Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is the latest entrance into the Rajya Sabha, upper house of parliament, after Dilip Tirkey.
Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by the MLAs of State Assembly
However, cricketer Azaruddin, is sitting MP in lower house, which is elected through direct ballot by people constituency wise.
Aslam Sher Khan, 1975 World Cup hero, is the elected member of Parliament and also became a minister in the central government.
First MP from sports was Jaipal Singh Munda, Indian hockey’s first Olympic captain.
Indian hockey’s star Pargat Singh is also a practicing politician, having been elected to Punjab State Legislative Assembly from Jalandhar Constituency a couple of years ago.
Aam Admi Party is just a year old political outfit, formed by educated middle class Indian citizenry, which fights against corruption in Indian politics.
This party has stunned Delhi State with thumping win in the assembly elections, and thus catching the imagination of public at large.
If daily reports are any indication, a lot of new faces from every walk of life is entering AAP’s fold, and the party is likely to contest in about 300 Lok Sabha seats in the five-year Parliamentary election due this May.