Former Indian hockey captain Prabodh Tirkey on Monday joined the Congress at the party's Odisha unit headquarters in Bhubaneswar and expressed his desire to contest the assembly elections next year.
He joined the party in the presence of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattanayak, its state in-charge A Chella Kumar and other senior leaders.
The former hockey player has expressed his desire to contest the next assembly elections from the Talsara segment in the tribal-dominated Sundergarh district.
Mr Tirkey said he decided to join the party as the "work of Rahul Gandhi deeply influenced" him and asserted that his family has a "long association with the Congress".
Claiming that the people in the Talsara area are "neglected", he said the "tribals do not get any benefit from government schemes".
Mr Tirkey made his debut in the Junior Asia Cup in 2000. He was the national captain of sub-junior, junior and India-A teams and finally became the India senior team captain.
He played 135 international matches for the country.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Why BJP's Maharashtra Mandate Is Historic, Decodes NDTV's Sanjay Pugalia
Odisha Teachers Eligibility Test Results Released, Check Steps To Download Third Phase Of Odisha's Cash Transfer Scheme 'Subhadra Yojana' To Launch On This Date BJP vs Congress On US Government Department Move Against Adani Group Election Results 2024 LIVE: With Thumping Win, Maharashtra Decides Real NCP, Sena Election Results: Mahayuti Takes Lead In 230 Maharashtra Seats Jharkhand Election Results LIVE: INDIA Bloc Wins 14 Seats, NDA Takes 2 G7 Ministers To Discuss ICC Warrant For Netanyahu Next Week: Italy PM Meloni Food Safety Issues Found At Two Nutraceutical Manufacturing Units In Hyderabad Along With Mahayuti Vs MVA, Uddhav Thackeray Loses The "Real Sena" Battle Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.