Leander Pace span to
bjp On Tuesday, he quit the Trinamool Congress after a brief tenure.
At the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi, the 52-year-old Paes viewed the move as a new “responsibility” after 40 years in sports. “I have served the country…I now want to serve the youth and fellow citizens,” he said, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity. Party workers see the tennis legend’s inclusion as a signal to urban voters and young people, dismissing criticism that the BJP is narrowly focused on Hindu causes.
Youth Union minister Sukanta Majumdar called Paes the “son of Bengal” and said he grew up in Kolkata and traced his lineage to 19th-century poet and playwright Michael Madhusudan Dutt. Party workers expect his image – Christian, Goan roots, Kolkata upbringing – to expand his influence among non-Hindu communities and the urban middle class.
Paes had met with BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Kolkata last week, fueling speculation. He was jointly inaugurated by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and senior Netas. BJP insiders said his contact with Rijiju dates back to 2019-21, when the latter was in charge of sports portfolio.
“We have 745 million young people. We need to build their future,” Pace said.
Rijiju called the entry a “proud moment” and described Paes as an iconic figure inspired by the government’s push for sport.
Paes joined the Trinamool in 2021 and contested the Goa polls during the party’s expansion attempt, which later failed.
Trinamool’s reaction ranged from cautious to strident. An official declined to comment. Another source said, “The Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 will be discussed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Our MP Saugata Roy will speak out in dissent. Given the strong opposition from the Trinamool and the Christian community to the bill, it is hoped that Paes will be able to express his views on this. Now that he’s on the campaign trail, we hope he’ll openly discuss the anti-conversion statutes in the 13 states.“
Voices from the sports and Christian circles were mixed. Former India Davis Cup captain Jaideep Mukerjea said athletes should focus on sports. “It is also inappropriate to join before the parliamentary elections…the timing is wrong,” he said. Father Gregory Monteiro called the move unexpected but a personal choice that he hopes will benefit the community.