Former Cricketer Dinesh Mongia Joins BJP

Former cricketer Dinesh Mongia on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a ceremony in the party office in Delhi. The cricket legend took a primary membership of the ruling party at the centre to start his political career, likely from Punjab where assembly elections will be held in a few months.

44-year-old Dinesh Mongia, who was born in Chandigarh on April 17, 1977, was a left-handed batsman and a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He had made his debut for Punjab cricket team in 1995-96.

Mongia played 57 One Day Internationals and one T20 International matches for India.

Meanwhile, three Punjab MLAs- Fateh Jung Bajwa, Balwinder Singh Laddi and Rana Gurmeer Sodhi also joined the saffron party today.

In 2017 Punjab assembly election, the Congress won an absolute majority by taking 77 seats and ousted the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government after 10 years.

The Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal won 15 seats, while the BJP got three.

ALSO READ: TMC Leader Derek O'Brien Tests COVID-19 Positive