Leander Paes joins Trinamool Congress; Mamata welcomes 'cute younger brother'

Mamata Banerjee said that Leander's entry will inspire the younger generation to join the party.

Image: Mamata Banerjee with Leader Paes

Tennis veteran Leander Paes has joined Trinamool Congress. The legendary sportsperson took the political plunge in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Goa.

Speaking to the media after the induction, Mamata said called him her "cute younger brother". The TMC chief said she was too happy to see Leander join the party and that her association with the ace tennis player went back to the time when she was the youth minister. She said that Leander's entry will inspire the younger generation.

Besides Leander, actor and activist Nafisa Ali too joined the Trinamool Congress. The TMC is hoping that the new faces that are joining the party will help the party gain ground in the poll-bound state. Assembly elections in the state are due early next year.

Mamata, while addressing the media. reiterated that the "Khela Hobe" slogan that made waves during the West Bengal assembly elections will echo in Goa as well. She also hit out at the Congress, accusing them of not keeping its house in order and allowing the BJP to form a government in Goa despite having won more seats in the last assembly elections.

Mamata, who is on her maiden political visit to Goa, even went to the extent to say that the Congress party is no more an option in the state, but rather it was her party that would take the BJP head-on. She hinted that there could be other new joinees in the time to come.