Lok Sabha elections 2019: Cricketer Gautam Gambhir joins BJP

New Delhi, Mar 22: Former Cricketer Gautam Gambhir joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday with weeks to go for the Lok Sabha elections. The cricketer is likely to contest elections from one of the seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats.

The 37-year-old former cricketer joined the party in the presence of Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Speaking at the event, Gambhir said,"I am joining this party(BJP) because I am inspired by PM Narendra Modi's vision. I am honoured to get the opportunity to join this platform."

Jaitley, who described Gambhir's joining as an "important induction" into the BJP, said the party will take a call at an appropriate time whether to field him in the Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier this year, Gambhir was conferred with India's fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri award and received a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A resident of Rajendra Nagar in Delhi, Gambhir made his one-day international debut for the Indian national team in April 2003 against Bangladesh and went on to play 147 ODIs for the side.

Earlier, in an interview with The Quint, Gambhir said, "Honestly, I haven't even thought about it, But If I join don't vote for Gambhir the cricketer."

It is expected that the former India opener will join BJP as he was a high-profile campaigner for Finance minister Arun Jaitley when he contested from Amritsar in the 2014 National polls, in which he was defeated by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh of Indian National Congress.