Virender Sehwag declines BJP offer to contest Delhi polls

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has donned many hats since retiring from cricket. He has been a commentator, has mentored the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) team in Indian Premier League (IPL) as well and has had other gigs as well, including running his Sehwag International School in Najafgarh.

Recently, Sehwag’s name cropped up on the list of potential candidates that Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) was looking at to contest polls in Delhi in the upcoming elections. Along with Sehwag, his former Delhi and India teammate Gautam Gambhir is also tipped to contest elections on BJP ticket. Gambhir had previously supported BJP candidate Rajat Sharma for the elections of DDCA president post and has previously attended rallies for the party.

Sehwag declines to contest polls

However, Virender Sehwag has reportedly declined to contest polls for BJP. He was supposed to contest from West Delhi, the seat of which is currently being held by BJP MP Parvesh Verma. Sehwag cited personal reasons and disinterest in politics for not standing in the elections.

“Sehwag said he was not interested in politics or contesting elections. Sehwag said he would rather that his sister, who is active in politics as a counselor from the area under the West Delhi Parliamentary constituency, represents the family there,” a party source from BJP was quoted by The Times of India (TOI).

Even in February, Sehwag had refuted rumors of him joining politics and had tweeted, “Some things never change, like this rumor. Same in 2014, and no innovation even in Rumour in 2019. Not interested then, not interested now. #BaatKhatam #5YearChallenge (sic).”

Some things never change, like this Rumour. Same in 2014, and no innovation even in Rumour in 2019. Not interested then, not interested now. #BaatKhatam#5YearChallenge pic.twitter.com/XhY7TkxfpD

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 8, 2019

Gambhir serious about contesting polls

However, on the other hand. Gautam Gambhir has shown genuine interest in joining politics and has started attending meetings of the BJP, as one source was quoted as saying, “Gambhir has started attending meetings in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. He attended one such meeting organized by a resident welfare association in Defence Colony earlier this week.”

But Gambhir refutes such claims and called them rumours. The Bhartiya Janta Party wants Gambhir to contest polls from New Delhi, as Delhi goes to polling on May 12.

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