It’s election season and there are many high-profile sportspersons who are making a political debut. Earlier this week, ace cricketer Gautam Gambhir and award-winning athlete Surendra Poonia joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Now, paralympian Deepa Malik is the next from the sports fraternity to join the league. News agency ANI reports that Malik joined the saffron party today.
In September 2016, Deepa Malik, who comes from Haryana, scripted history by winning a silver medal in Shotput at Paralympics 2016. She became the first Indian woman athlete to win a medal at Paralympics in the women’s shot put event at the Rio Games.
This year in February, Malik met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar seeking job assurance made to her after winning the silver medal. Last year in August, the state government had asked the paralympian to furnish her details and apply for the job. At present, she is working as a junior assistant coach with the Sports Department in Gurugram.
Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij had announced a cash award of Rs 4 crore for Deepa Malik at par with medal-winners at the Olympic Games. He had also said that she would be given a government job as per her educational qualifications.
Haryana has 10 parliamentary seats. In 2014, the BJP had won 7 seats with close to 35 per cent vote share. Deepa is an inspirational figure who could certainly help the saffron party in the upcoming polls. Polling in Haryana will be held in single phase on May 12 and results will be declared on May 23.