Aizawl: A month after his retirement, former Indian footballer and AIFF Player of the Year (2016) Jeje Lalpekhlua has formally entered politics joining the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), a party source said.
The 32-year-old Mizo sniper joined Mizoram’s main opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) on Monday, the party general secretary Eddy Zosangliana Colney said.
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Jeje gave a primary membership fee to ZPM at his home town Hnahthial, he said.
Asked, Colney, who is in charge of information and publicity, said that the party is yet to decide whether or not to give an MLA seat to the former East Bengal striker in the assembly polls due later this year.
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However, highly placed sources said that Jeje was tipped for the South Tuipui constituency in the southern part of the state.
State health minister R. Lalthangliana is the incumbent legislator of the assembly constituency.
The former India striker retired from football last month after a prolonged knee injury.
Jeje represented at least 13 clubs between 2009 and 2021 and scored 23 goals for the national team in international matches.
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He last played for East Bengal in the Indian Super League.
Among several awards to his name, Jeje won the FPAI Indian Player of the Year (2015-16) and AIFF Player of the Year in 2016.