Delhi: Prominent Hair Stylist Jawed Habib joins Bharatiya Janata Party, says 'Aaj tak main baalon ka chowkidar tha,… https://t.co/OtUkUc0IX5 — ANI (@ANI) 1555938579000

आज प्रसिद्ध हेयर स्टाइलिश श्री जावेद हबीब जी ने प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी की पांच साल की योजनाएं जनधन यो… https://t.co/pG7xf3E0OF — Chowkidar Tarun Chugh (@bjptarunchugh) 1555937878000

Pitch Perfect: Gambhir, Kirti Azad, Kaif & Other Cricketers Who Forayed Into Politics







Autoplay Autoplay 1 of 7 From The Pitch To Parliament The 2019 elections have kicked off in parts of India, and the IPL too, is on full swing. Therefore, cricket and politics are bound to be the most-popular subjects of conversation at the dinner table. Amidst this, when a cricketer steps inside Parliament instead of the pitch, it's bound to make headlines.



Earlier this year in March, cricketer Gautam Gambhir joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The former opener is the richest among all candidates contesting from Delhi with assets worth Rs 147 crores. However, Gambhir isn't the only one who has forayed into India's political scene.



Here's a round-up of all other cricketers who switched from the pitch to Parliament. Cricket To Congress Former all-rounder Kirti Azad has had a rather interesting political career. Azad, who was a part of the legendary 1983 World Cup-winning squad, traversed from the BJP to Congress in his ongoing political career.



The right-handed batsman was never too detached from the political scene as his father, Bhagwat Jha Azad, served as Bihar's Chief Minister from 1988 to 1989. He contested for the elections from Darbhanga, Bihar, won thrice and served as the Member of Parliament on all occasions. However, things went south for Azad in 2015 when he was suspended from the BJP for publicly criticising Arun Jaitley and his ignorance towards corruption in Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA).



In February 2018, Azad joined the Congress, terming it 'coming home' for him as his father also represented the same party. In Full Swing Navjot Singh Sidhu's blockbuster cricket debut in 1981-82 was followed by a streak of 20 successful years in the sport. The 55-year-old who was popular for his explosive batting made headlines in 2004 when he joined the BJP.



The former batsman contested elections from Amritsar and won the seat in the first attempt itself and held on to it for 10 years straight. In 2016, Sidhu was nominated for the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. However, he quit the party in the same year, citing differences with the leadership.



In 2017, he joined the Congress and was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly from East Amritsar. A Life Full Of Ups And Downs Mohammad Azharuddin has had his share of ups and downs. The man who ruled the batting scenario in the '90s with his sharp strokes fell out of the game in 2000 when he was accused of match-fixing. However, in 2009, after receiving a push from his brother and friend, the 56-year-old joined the Congress. He won the Lok Sabha election from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and became a Member of Parliament, thanks to huge amount of public support.



In 2014, he lost the elections from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. Recently, the right-handed batsman expressed his desire to contest 2019 elections from Secunderabad. Star Of Cricket, Dull In Politicis The early 2000s saw a swift generational switch in Indian cricket with young skippers like Mohammad Kaif. The 38-year-old left fans mesmerised with his energy and maturity on the pitch. However, in 2014, he took some time off cricket and decided to join politics. The right-handed batsman joined the Congress and contested the elections from Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh. However, he faced heavy defeat to BJP’s Keshav Prasad Maurya. The sports star has since not been actively involved in politics.



NEW DELHI: It's election season and newsmakers across the spectrum - film, sports, business - are trying to make their presence felt in politics.Hairstylist Jawed Habib became the latest political entrant on Monday, after he joined the Bhartiya Janata Party ( BJP ) in New Delhi.Habib was welcomed into the party in the presence of Sanjay Mayukh, BJP's National Media Co-Head, and Tarun Chugh who is also one of the party executives in charge of its Delhi unit.He described his political move, saying that he was ready to serve the country as its 'chowkidar'.Habib, a renowned name among hairdressers globally, has over 550 unisex hair salons across India with three international ones.Earlier on Sunday, the BJP announced its list of candidates. The party has retained 4 of its sitting MPs including Manoj Tiwari, Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pravesh Verma.Delhi goes to the polls on May 12 in the sixth phase of elections . The counting of votes will be held on May 23.