Bhubaneswar: Former India Hockey team captain Prabodh Tirkey, who hails from Odisha, is reportedly planning to join the Congress.
According to sources, the former hockey star is keen to contest the next Assembly elections in the state from Talsara constituency in tribal-dominated Sundargarh district.
Lamenting that the people in his area are neglected as the tribals are not getting any benefit from government schemes, Tirkey has reportedly expressed keenness to contest from Talsara Assembly constituency to serve the people of the area.
Speaking about his family’s long association with the Congress party, the former team India captain said some of his family members had close links with the party. Therefore, he has decided to join the Congress and work for the people.
Prabodh Tirkey, who was born in Sundargarh on October 6, 1984, 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 was in the Indian team, which won the 2007 Asia Cup in Chennai. He has a total of 135 international caps.
Tirkey was conferred with the Ekalavya Puraskar in 2001 and Biju Patnaik State Sports Award in 2009.
