Leander Paes meets BJP leaders, sparks buzz over political entry ahead of Bengal polls: Reports

A meeting between tennis icon Leander Paes and senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party has triggered fresh speculation about his possible entry into politics ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, as per reports.

Paes reportedly met BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Kolkata on Tuesday evening, with state unit chief Samik Bhattacharya also present, fuelling speculation over his political plans.

Reports citing sources said Paes’s formal induction into the party could take place soon in New Delhi, indicating that discussions may have progressed beyond preliminary stages.

Paes’s reported engagement with the BJP marks a shift from his earlier association with the All India Trinamool Congress.

He had joined the party in Goa in October 2021, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed him. However, he was not included in the party’s Goa state committee announced in January 2022.

The meeting coincided with Nabin’s two-day visit to Kolkata, during which he held a series of strategy sessions with state leaders to review campaign plans, digital outreach and booth-level organisation.

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.