NEW DELHI – In a high-profile political shift on March 31, 2026, tennis icon Leander Paes officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. The move comes as a blow to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the party Paes originally joined in 2021 to lead their Goa campaign.
The TMC wasted no time in reacting, quickly labeling the Olympic medalist a “Bohiragoto” (outsider) and sarcastically suggesting the BJP had finally found its next “Goa Chief Minister candidate” to parachute into West Bengal.
A Career Transition: From Court to Campaign
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The Switch: Paes, 53, joined the BJP in Delhi following recent meetings with party leadership in Kolkata.
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TMC History: He was a star campaigner for Mamata Banerjee’s party during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, though the party failed to secure any seats in that state.
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BJP Welcome: Kiren Rijiju hailed the entry as “historic,” noting that Paes was inspired by the Prime Minister’s work for athletes over the last 12 years.
The “Outsider” Debate
The Trinamool Congress’s sharp critique centers on Paes’s dual roots. While born in Kolkata, his family originates from Velim, Goa.
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TMC’s Stance: By calling him an outsider, the TMC is doubling down on its narrative that the BJP relies on figures alien to Bengal’s specific cultural milieu.
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Paes’s Connection: Paes has previously embraced his Goan heritage, stating in 2021 that while tennis took him around the world, he felt a deep calling to serve the state of his father, Olympian Vece Paes.
Political Implications
With West Bengal heading toward high-voltage Assembly elections, the BJP’s induction of a global sporting icon is seen as an attempt to bolster its appeal among urban voters and youth. Speculation is rife that the party may field him as a candidate, though no official announcement has been made regarding his specific role in the upcoming polls.
