AJSU Party ropes in Dhoni’s big brother for Hatia poll campaign

At least on two occasions — when summer is at its peak and elections are announced—Narendra Singh Dhoni, elder brother of Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, turns busy.

During summers he inaugurates drinking water kiosks at different places in Ranchi to help public and he does not fail to invite media to showcase his philanthropy. He takes on the job of a plumber, often repairing water taps. He gets busy when there is election as he is invited by political parties or candidates for campaigning. This summer, Narendra has double assignments as the by-election of Hatia Assembly has been announced.

Narendra has been roped in by the AJSU Party to campaign for the party candidate Naveen Jaiswal. Narendra inaugurated election office of the AJSU Party at Doranda on Friday. “AJSU Party represents dream of vibrant Jharkhand. It is the party of young people,” Narendra said during the inauguration.

“Among candidates, in this by-election, I have found Naveen is true to the people. It is time for us to show trust in him,’ Narendra has fulsome praise for Naveen. Leaders of the AJSU Party were happy not just because a couple of the BJP workers and ward-level leaders joined the AJSU Party fold, it was happy also because Narendra had joined them.

Younger brother Dhoni is a close friend of AJSU Party chief Sudesh Kumar Mahto. “If cricket family of Jharkhand makes an appeal for the party, it will at least compel youths to think,” said Deepak Thakur, an AJSU Party worker.

Politics is not a new enterprise for Narendra, though. During 2009 Parliamentary elections, Narendra had joined the BJP in the presence of the party president Raghuwar Das. Narendra had taken primary membership of the party along with 11 others. He had campaigned for the BJP. Though, he was nowhere responsible for the defeat of the BJP candidate Ramtahal Chaudhary, but he was not a vote catcher even in his locality. “He had delivered a dud. Interestingly, many in the party believed that he will be successful in wooing voters,” a senior BJP leader said.

The BJP has no idea whether Narendra holds primary membership of the party or has resigned. “We have no idea about this. He has obsession for politics. Politics is something that you learn over the years. Politics is something that comes as inheritance. Being the brother of a celebrity is no guarantee of success in politics. Mahendra Singh Dhoni can have an impact on voters. But being the elder brother of Dhoni will not work,” BJP leader Kamal Khan said.

In the surcharged political atmosphere in Hatia, weathermen have predicted no respite from heat. Many are waiting for Narendra to find time for philanthropic act of setting up drinking water kiosks out of his busy political schedule.