Vijender Singh will take on BJP's sitting parliamentarian Ramesh Bidhuri (File)
Boxer Vijender Singh, who is the Congress candidate in the South Delhi constituency, has promised that his association with the sport would not end with him entering politics. He has also made his first poll promise as he said world's biggest boxers would be invited to the constituency to fight.
"The country needs change, and change would be brought about by youths, like me and you. I have come (into politics) for that," he told NDTV.
Vijender Singh, the first Indian boxer to have won an Olympic medal, had quit competitive boxing and joined the professional circuit. His foray into politics was, however, a surprise as there were reports that the Congress was considering 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar's brother for the seat.
"I am not quitting boxing. I am contesting the elections in the seat as people were in need. Boxing will continue, a lot of time is still left," he said.
"World's biggest boxers will fight in South Delhi," he added.
On his decision to join the Congress, he said, "My thinking, my ideology is similar to the Congress. That's why chose them".
Vijender Singh will take on BJP's sitting parliamentarian Ramesh Bidhuri and Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha. He said that the fact that his opponents were from the national capital and his roots were in Haryana, would not have a bearing on the electoral outcome.
"It's not that I am from Canada. I have a house in South Delhi," he quipped, adding that a sportsperson belongs to the entire country.
Mr Singh is not the only sportsperson trying his luck in the political arena. Gautam Gambhir, a former cricketer, is the BJP candidate in East Delhi.
In the 2014 general election, Mr Bidhuri had AAP's candidate Colonel Devinder Sehrawat by a margin of 1.07 lakh votes in 2014.
Polling in Delhi will be held on May 12; results will be declared on May 23.