Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag will not contest Lok Sabha elections but he will be campaigning for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to the Pioneer,  a senior BJP leader said Gautam Gambhir is a formidable candidate for the New Delhi Parliamentary constituency, but Sehwag is not contesting elections for his lack of interest in politics. Applying full stop on the speculations about Sehwag contesting elections from West Delhi constituency, senior BJP leaders outrightly denied about Sehwag’s willingness to join the party, however, if the sources are to be beleived, the former Indian opening batsman would help in campaigning and spread words about the Narendra Modi Government’s achievement in past years.

“Earlier, it was being discussed Sehwag may contest election from Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma’s West Delhi constituency. It is believed that the party high command approached him also but Sehwag is least interested in joining politics,” said the BJP leader. However, Gambhir stands a fair chance to contest election from New Delhi constituency.

West Delhi is a Punjabi dominated constituency but also having different communities such as Baniya and Jaat as well.  In 16th Lok Sabha elections,Verma won the seat bydefeating Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Jarnail Singh gaining 6,51,395 votes with 48 per cent of the total votes polled.

Mahabal Mishra also contested election from Indian National Congress (INC ) Party and got 1,93,266 votes with percentage 14.33 per cent.  In 2014, BJP won all seven preliminaries seats, while it was Congress that had won all the seven Delhi Lok Sabha seats. 

The largest democracy of the world will see the voting taking place 7 phases from April 11 to May 19. Delhi will vote on May 12th in the sixth phase.  The tenure of ruling BJP Government in the Lok Sabha ends on 3 June, the results declared on May 23 will decide which party will set up the new government and who will become the next Prime Minister of India.