Cricketer Saurabh Tiwary set to join BJP

Former Team India batsman Saurabh Tiwary is all set to begin another innings, this time in politics. Talking to TOI on Saturday, BJP’s Jamshedpur president Dinesh Kumar said the Jamshedpur-born southpaw has expressed his willingness to join the saffron party.

Kumar said Tiwary is currently away from the Steel and a date for his formal induction will be finalized once he returns. Kumar said the 30-year-old will initially get the party’s primary membership which could later be upgraded to active membership. He added Tiwary is a youth icon of the city and his induction would boost the party’s image among the new generation.

Tiwary was one of the key batsmen in the Indian team that won the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. He currently represents Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League.

BJP had launched a countrywide membership drive in the recently and assembly polls are due in the state at the end of the year. BJP now is trying to rope in youth icons to attract voters. Recently, the party inducted several prominent doctors from the city.

Tiwary lives in Baridih area of the city, which falls under the Jamshedpur East assembly constituency, which is represented by chied minister Raghbar Das since 1995. Sources said Tiwary is popular in the area too and would influence others to join the saffron camp.