Former Olympic boxer Vijender Singh joins BJP
Vijender Singh, an ex-Olympic boxer and former Congress leader, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Singh's transition to the BJP was announced at the party's headquarters in New Delhi. The former boxer joined the party in the presence of BJP leaders Vinod Tawde, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, and Rajiv Babbar.
Singh's motivation for party change
Upon his induction into the BJP, Singh shared his reasons for the party switch. He stated, "I have joined the BJP in the interest of the nation and to serve the people. I want to help more and more people." Prior to this move, there were speculations about Singh being nominated as a Congress candidate from Mathura in the upcoming elections.
Singh's influence and achievements in sports
Singh hails from the influential Jat community, which holds significant political sway in several constituencies, particularly in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. His political career followed a successful stint in sports where he became India's first Olympic medalist in boxing at the 2008 Beijing Games. Additionally, Singh secured a bronze medal at the 2009 World Championships and a gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Singh's honors and controversies in sports career
For his significant contributions to Indian sports, Singh was honored with the esteemed Padma Shri award in 2010. However, his sports career faced a setback in 2012 when he was embroiled in doping allegations. Singh was later cleared of these charges, allowing him to continue his successful career both in sports and politics.