NEW DEHLI – Bhartia Janta Party (BJP), the Hindu extremist ruling party of India, has decided to field Muslim cricketer Mohammad Shami in the elections.
Mohammad Shami will contest the Lok Sabha elections from West Bengal.
According to the media reports, the decision to field Mohammad Shami in the elections by the BJP comes as a strategic move after he went viral for offering prayers on the cricket ground.
Mohammad Shami has not played cricket since India’s defeat in the World Cup.
The Indian media reported that he underwent surgery recently. During the World Cup, after taking five wickets against Sri Lanka, Mohammad Shami was seen offering prayers.
After India’s loss to Australia in the World Cup, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with the players in the dressing room. Mohammad Shami was also present among those players, and the video of his conversation with Modi went viral.
The Indian media also reported that Mohammad Shami remained in contact with the BJP leadership even after that, and he also met with the Home Minister Amit Shah.
Now, BJP decided to field Mohammad Shami in the Lok Sabha elections, but this decision is not just for boosting the cricketer’s morale but is also a political move.
Mohammad Shami will be fielded from the Basirhat constituency of West Bengal, where there has been some political turmoil in the recent days.
The reason behind the turmoil is a Muslim politician Sheikh Shah Jahan and his popularity and related conflicts. Sheikh Shah Jahan is associated with the Trinamool Congress, and people in the area refer to him as a brother. He is currently embroiled in these conflicts.
Some women accused Sheikh Shah Jahan of attempted sexual assault, leading to his arrest. After the arrest, Sheikh Shah Jahan was expelled from the Trinamool Congress.
The BJP sees Sheikh Shah Jahan as a challenge for itself, which is why last week, Narendra Modi himself met with the women who had accused Sheikh Shah Jahan.
Now Mohammad Shami is being prepared to compete against Sheikh Shah Jahan. Ostensibly, this move aims to capitalize on Shami’s popularity in cricket. Mohammad Shami has not yet expressed his reaction regarding the BJP’s decision.
