Shared News| January 29, 2020 1:38:46 pm
Saina Nehwal at BJP HD, New Delhi (Express Photo by Prem Nath Pandey)
Ace Indian shuttler and Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday. Saina is the latest sportsperson to join the BJP after wrestlers Babita Phogat and Yogeshwar Dutt, who joined the political party in 2019.
“Today, I joined a party that does so much for the country. I am a very hardworking person and I can see Narendra Modi Sir working hard day in and day out. It will be an honour for me to contribute towards the nation along with him,” she said after joining the party.
Nehwal said she likes to stay updated with politics and felt great that she had joined a party “that is doing so much for the country.”
Nehwal had spoken in support of the Narendra Modi government and its schemes on several occasions in the past. She also was one of the first celebrities to support the Centre’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) which has sparked protests in several parts of the country.
Badminton player @NSaina joins BJP in the presence of BJP National General Secretary Shri @ArunSinghbjp. pic.twitter.com/b6NEnDBMUT
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 29, 2020
Badminton player @NSaina joins BJP in the presence of BJP National General Secretary Shri @ArunSinghbjp. pic.twitter.com/b6NEnDBMUT
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 29, 2020
Watch LIVE: Eminent personality @NSaina joins BJP at BJP HQ, New Delhi. https://t.co/2dLRwIoUR1
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 29, 2020
A tweet by Saina in October last year had sparked controversy after it was found to be identical to several other tweets in favour of a government programme.
The 29-year old, shuttler has won over 24 international titles, and is one of India’s most celebrated athletes after she became the first Indian woman shuttler to achieve the World No. 1 ranking.
The Haryana-born athlete represented India in the London Olympics in 2012 and won a bronze medal. Currently ranked ninth, Saina has won two bronze Asian Games medals, three gold, a silver and a bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
Nehwal recently participated in the Thailand Masters 2020 but was defeated in the first round.
