NEW DELHI : Trinamool Congress MP Prasun Banerjee left everyone surprised when he suddenly started playing football in Parliament premises on Thursday, in a bid to promote the game.

Banerjee, a retired international footballer, appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote the game on the national level.

#WATCH Delhi: TMC MP Prasun Banerjee plays football in Parliament premises.Says "We want India to play Football World Cup one day. We're making efforts. We'll go to PM, along with footballers, & tell him 'Politics kam, sports zyada, football zyada.' That day will definitely come. pic.twitter.com/fEBVKncqhn — ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019

"I will appeal to the Prime Minister and the Sports Minister to promote football in India as well as international level. There is no politics into it and we can do it keeping ourselves above the politics," he told ANI.

Banerjee expressed his hope that India will play the Football World Cup in the future.

He said, "I hope India will play football in the World Cup and we will watch. We will try to achieve it. I will meet the Prime Minister on this issue. We should play football, not politics."

Banerjee represents Howrah constituency in Lok Sabha and has won Arjuna Award in 1979.

He had also led the Indian national football team as captain in various international tournaments.

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