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XtraTime Web Desk: As was anticipated former Asian Games gold medal winning athlete from Bengal, Jyotirmoyee Sikdar has joined the Bhartiya Janata Party on Tuesday, thereby putting an end to all speculation. The Jakarta Asian Games gold medalist joined the BJP state unit after the end of a virtual meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah. State BJP President Dilip Ghosh handed over the party flag to Jyotirmoyee.

Earlier Mr Dilip Ghosh visited Jyotirmoyee's Salt Lake residence on Saturday raising speculations about the later joining the BJP. It was reported that both Jyotirmoyee and Dilip Ghosh met over “Chay pe charcha”. Exactly after three days the State BJP unit announced that she has joined the party.
On being asked what transpired her to join BJP, Jyotirmoyee said, "The CPI (M) and the Trinamool Congress have not played a positive role in the development of sports in the state. So I joined the BJP.”

Born in Nadia's Devgram, Jyotirmoyee made her international debut in 1995. She came into prominence by winning gold in the 800 meters race at the Asian Athletics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was never looking back for Jyotirmoyee since that success. In 1998, she won bronze in the 800 and 1500 meters at the Asian Championships in Japan. The same year she went on to win twin golds in 800m and 1500 m gold in the Asian Games held in Bangkok. For her outstanding contributions in the field of athletics, Jyotirmoyee was awarded with Arjuna (1995), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1998-99) and Padma Shri (2003).

Jyotirmoyee won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections for CPIM from Krishnanagar. She did not have the same success during the next Lok Sabha elections as she lost to late Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal. During the last Lok Sabha elections she quit CPIM and joined Trinamool Congress. And now just before the Bidhan Sabha elections next year in 2021, she decides to join BJP.