Reports of MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir campaigning for BJP in 2019 elections 'hold no truth'

MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir, the two Indian cricketers who were instrumental in India’s victory in the final of the 2011 World Cup, made the news for very different reasons. The duo was reportedly lined up to campaign for and be given tickets as candidates by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) for next year’s Lok Sabha Elections.

Both players are currently at the twilight of their cricketing careers, and according to many, it was likely for them to make a move from cricket to politics. While news of Dhoni and Gambhir taking up political roles was doing the rounds on social media, recent confirmation about this information has put them to rest completely.

Earlier this week, it was said that Gambhir will be considered as a replacement candidate into the Lok Sabha for Meenakshi Lekhi by the Narendra Modi-led government. This came after a BJP leader reportedly told The Sunday Guardian that Gambhir is widely accepted in the capital, especially since he is a resident of Delhi himself. Furthermore, the paper went on to add that some BJP leaders also saw the two cricketers as being central to their campaigns for the 2019 elections.

The speculation and verification

A senior BJP leader was quoted as saying to The Sunday Guardian, “Gautam Gambhir, in most likelihood, will be the party’s candidate from the same seat. He has wide acceptability and is known for his social work. He is a Delhiite and will do his best for the people of Delhi.”

“Both players have wide acceptability, respect and credibility across the country and are regarded as leaders by all sections of society. They are not only leaders from their respective states, but also leaders of the country,” he added.

However, as per verification carried out by Firstpost, who got in touch with the sources close to Gambhir and Dhoni, this piece of information is incorrect. The news website claims to have contacted Gambhir’s manager Dinesh Chopra who has denied his client’s interest in being politically associated. On the other hand, Arun Pandey, who is a close business associate of Dhoni, suggested that the whole story is mere ‘speculation’ and holds no truth.

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