Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, marking the end of his tenure with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The cricketer, who was a member of India's World Cup-winning squads in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by AAP in 2022 as one of its five candidates from Punjab.
Harbhajan is among several AAP MPs to switch to the BJP, alongside Raghav Chadha. The off-spinner, who played 103 Tests, 236 One Day Internationals and 28 Twenty20 Internationals for India between 1998 and 2016, had entered politics by joining AAP. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.
After nearly a four-year stint with AAP, Harbhajan's move to the BJP represents a significant shift in his political journey. The development comes amid a trend of political realignments in Punjab, with several leaders switching allegiances ahead of upcoming elections.
Harbhajan's cricketing achievements are well-documented, but his foray into politics has been relatively brief. His departure from AAP follows a pattern of high-profile exits from the party, which has faced challenges in retaining its prominent members.
As Harbhajan begins his new political chapter with the BJP, observers will be watching to see how his presence influences the party's prospects in Punjab, a state where cricket enjoys immense popularity and political affiliations often intersect with sports personalities.
