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Updated: Jul 08, 2019 07:37 IST

Gautam Gambhir was in class 6, his coach Sanjay Bhardwaj told the cricketer-turned-politician that he can someday play for the country if he studies properly. Gambir took the advice so seriously that he started practising twice daily along with regular schooling. “He believes in learning,” said Bhardwaj and added that Gambhir, 37, will have a successful inning in politics too. “I was the one who accompanied him when he bought his first willow bat [professional bat]. I was there with him during his election campaign as well and saw the same passion. He will go far,” said Bhardwaj.

Gambhir’s political innings has begun well. He won his first election on a Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket in May by a handsome margin of over 3.9 lakh votes from the capital’s East Delhi constituency. Gambhir defeated Congress’s Arvinder Singh Lovely and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Atishi to make it to Parliament for the first time.

CAMPUS TO CRICKET

Born into a business family in Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar in October 1981, Gambhir spent most of his childhood with his grandparents. He was 10 when he joined the Lal Bahadur Shastri Cricket Club, where Bhardwaj mentored him. He made his first-class debut in 1999 while he was in class 12 at New Delhi’s Modern School (Barakhamba Road). Four years later, he made it to the next level when he played his first international one-day match for India against Bangladesh in Dhaka in April 2003. Gambhir went from strength to strength to emerge as the number 1 ranked test cricket player in 2009. A year earlier, the left-handed batsman won India’s second highest sporting prize – Arjun Award. Gambhir went on to win the country’s fourth highest civilian award – Padma Shri – in March 2019.

When Gambhir announced his retirement from all forms of the sport after a 15-year-long career in December 2018, he had no immediate plans of joining politics. “I was not planning to join politics immediately after announcing the retirement from cricket. One day, between February and March [2019], when I was sitting alone in my room and scrolling through my Twitter feed, I asked myself what kind of person I want to be – one who just tweets about every issue and does nothing or one who actually has the courage to go on the ground and help the country grow. For that, I had to take the plunge. It came from within,” Gambhir told HT at his home while he was getting ready for the second day of Parliament’s budget session.

Gambhir said he chose the BJP as the country needs a strong leader with a decisive vision. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved his strong leadership by taking decisions like the [2016] surgical strike [against militant launch pads across the Line of Control in Pakistani-Occupied Kashmir]. It is because of him [Modi] that I got attracted towards the BJP,” said a kurta-pajama clad Gambhir as he sat in his living room.

The BJP on April 22 announced its decision to field Gambhir as its Lok Sabha candidate from East Delhi. The announcement came four months after Gambhir’s retirement even as his family was not so sure about his decision to join politics. “My mom and my wife felt that it was going to be very tough. I had just retired from cricket and I could not spend much time with the family. But it is all right when you take such decisions with an intention to see the country grow,” he said.

Gambhir has long been vocal about his love for the country and its armed forces. “I always wanted to join the Indian army and serve the nation. I could not do that and I regret it. I will serve the nation through politics now,” he said.

SELFIES AND BRICKBATS

During his public meetings and rallies, Gambhir kept his speeches short. He frequently signed bats for children and clicked selfies with his fans, who turned up just to have a glance of their favourite cricketer. Not everyone was welcoming, though. He faced jibes from his opponents who called him an “outsider” and a “parachute candidate”.

Atishi accused Gambhir of holding two voter identity cards and of distributing abusive, misogynistic and casteist pamphlets against her. Gambhir alleged that the AAP had circulated the pamphlets to gain publicity and sent them a defamation notice for “tarnishing” his “pristine image.”

“I was surprised that they were launching personal attacks on someone who was just 10-15 day old in politics. It was unfortunate. Elections will come and elections will go but one should not compromise with dignity,” he said.

Gambhir said he does not hold any grudges. “People have already showered their support and love on me. I am really grateful,” he said.

EAST WILL BE BEST

For Gambhir, his immediate priorities for his constituency include tackling issues related to pollution, roads, drinking water and parking. He has pledged to make East Delhi, which comprises some of the city’s least developed areas, the cleanest in the capital.

Gambhir has hit the ground running and visited all 10 assembly segments under the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency and attended public events.

Gambhir said he has been realistic in making promises and did not promise his voters the moon. “I have never said that we will turn East Delhi into New York or Paris. I am a Delhi boy. I know the real ground issues, and I will work on fixing them first. We will try to make East Delhi the cleanest and greenest constituency of the capital,” he said.

Tackling the garbage menace at the Ghazipur landfill site tops his priorities as the 150-feet mountain of rotting trash threatens to rise higher than the Taj Mahal by next year. “It bothers me all the time. I have started meeting the authorities to find out the best possible solution. We will probably set up a plant or do something else that is better suited,” he said. He hopes to transform the site over the next five years.

“I am meeting people to know more about what all can be done. The power comes with a lot of responsibilities and accountability. I remind myself every day that I have to work hard for those who have elected me,” he said.

East Delhi residents hope that things will improve sooner than later. Shankar Singh, a 37-year-old rickshaw puller from Ghazipur, said they breathe toxic air 24x7. “It is so difficult to bear the stench. Our leader is a bada aadmi [big man] who does not live in East Delhi. He will take time to understand things here,” he said. “We voted for the party [BJP].”

Many BJP supporters and workers say that Gambhir won the election only because of the “Modi magic”. “He is new in politics. He has to learn a lot. People still know him as a celebrity cricketer. His win was certain because of the Modi factor. He has to do a lot to connect with people as a politician,” said a BJP worker from East Delhi requesting anonymity.

Gambhir responded to this saying: “My work will speak for itself.”

Atishi said Gambhir should spend more time in the constituency rather than doing commentary during the ongoing cricket World Cup. Gambhir explained that his commentary agreement with a sports channel was signed much before he entered politics. On June 7, he responded to his critics via Twitter. “Nothing can change my commitment and vision to make East Delhi constituency the best in Delhi.”