Marking his entry into politics, Tennis star Leander Paes joined Trinamool Congress today in the presence of party chief and West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. With this, the veteran sports player becomes the third celebrity to make their debut with Trinamool Congress.
Earlier in the day, actress Nafisa Ali and activist Mrinalini Deshprabhu joined the party. They were also welcomed by Ms Banerjee. The grand welcome and new names entering the party is a move of the party as it gears up to roll up its sleeves for contesting in the race to win Goa.
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We are extremely delighted to share that Shri @Leander joined us today in the presence of our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial!
Together, we shall ensure that every single person in this nation sees the Dawn of Democracy that we have been waiting for since 2014!
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) October 29, 2021
The 18-time Grand Slam champion said he wants to “serve the people” during his joining ceremony.
Speaking about the new turn of his career, Mr Paes said, “Now I have retired from tennis. I want to serve the people through the vehicle of politics…..to make a difference to the country. Didi (Mamata Banerjee) is a true champion.”
On the other hand, Ms Banerjee called the 48-year-old a “sweet and cute younger brother” of hers, adding that the party will work towards creating a stable federal structure. “We want to see a strong union of states. We want to see the federal structure maintained,” she said.
Before Mr Paes, Bollywood actress Nafisa Ali and activist Mrinalini Deshprabhu also joined the party as Trinamool Congress prepares ahead of the 2022 elections in the coastal region. It hopes to win the polls against the ruling BJP that has 17 legislators in the Goa Assembly.
The coastal state holds 40 members in its assembly with 15 occupied by Congress MLAs. BJP rules Goa with the support of additional legislators of other parties including the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).
To emerge as the stronger contender in the upcoming elections, Trinamool Congress is strategizing several plans to bring Mamata Banerjee into the limelight. Engagement plans are in the loop as the Bengal CM arrives in Goa including meetings with key individuals of the region. “During her visit, (Ms) Banerjee will meet intellectuals, thinkers, professionals, and others,” a party official said while answering questions about her campaign.
During the joining ceremony, Ms Banerjee stressed that “Dilli ki dadagiri” needs to stop as the people of Goa can fend for themselves. She stated that she will create an able system that will help Goans to manage things related to them without the assistance of anyone else.
