Speaking on April 16, Paes praised PM Modi’s leadership, stating, “Every team has a leader, a captain, and I have played on many teams in my life. Our leader is our PM Narendra Modi. Whatever he requires me to do to empower our state and country, run sports in our country, I will follow our leader. I think his vision and his leadership skills are impeccable.”

Reflecting on his shift from sports to politics, Paes described his commitment to national service, inspired by his father’s wish for him to uplift the country through sports. “People like me normally stay away because of the fear of politics, but my Baba left me with a message to empower the 500 million children through sports and sports education… My heart beats for India and the Tiranga, I will work hard,” he said.

Responding to critics who label him an “outsider” in West Bengal politics, Paes dismissed such claims, explaining, “I don’t get hurt by these things because if you go back to the 17th century, my forefathers were Bengali. After I won my Olympic medal in 1996, lots of young Indian children felt they could also win… The same goes for politics.”

He emphasised PM Modi’s belief in the power of youth and sports to strengthen the nation: “With PM Modi, I talked about issues in Bengal… he said, ‘Youth and sports can empower a nation’. Under the leadership of PM Modi, I will serve our country,” Paes added.

Paes officially joined the BJP on March 31 in the presence of Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Sukanta Majumdar, marking his entry into politics ahead of assembly elections in five states. Prior to this, he had made his political debut with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2021.

Leander Paes is widely recognised for popularising tennis in India and his significant contributions to the sport. He was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1996-97, the Arjuna Award in 1990, the Padma Shri in 2001, and the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in January 2014.