Garry Kasparov clarifies his 'little joke' on politics that cheekily asked Rahul Gandhi to 'first win Rae Bareli'
Garry Kasparov clarifies his ‘little joke’ on politics that cheekily asked Rahul Gandhi to ‘first win Rae Bareli’
NEW DELHI: Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov recently made a lighthearted remark about Indian politics that quickly gained traction on social media.
In response to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s claim of being the best chess player among Indian politicians, Kasparov playfully suggested that Gandhi should “first win Rae Bareli before challenging for the top.”
However, within a short span of time, the 61-year-old clarified that his comment was meant as a joke and should not be taken as political advocacy or expertise.
Kasparov’s response came after actor Ranvir Shorey made a seemingly sarcastic comment about Gandhi’s chess skills. The former world champion, who retired in 2005, reiterated his stance in replies to several other accounts that commented on his original post.
The Congress party had recently shared a video of Gandhi playing chess on his mobile phone while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections, in which he named Kasparov as his favourite chess player and drew comparisons between the game and politics.
The incident unfolded when a user on X (formerly Twitter) humorously expressed relief that Kasparov and Indian chess great Viswanathan Anand had retired early, sparing them from facing “the greatest chess genius of our times.” Kasparov, known for his outspoken criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and now based in Croatia, unexpectedly responded to the post, stating, “Traditional (sic) dictates that you should first win from Raebareli before challenging for the top.”
In the Congress video, Gandhi referred to Kasparov as a “non-linear thinker” and drew an analogy between chess and politics, suggesting that as one improves in the game, the opponent’s pieces begin to function almost like one’s own. Gandhi recently filed his nomination from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and is also contesting from Wayanad.
Kasparov, a former world number one for a record 255 weeks, became the youngest-ever undisputed world champion at the age of 22 in 1985. He is now a political activist and a contemporary of Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand. When 17-year-old D Gukesh recently surpassed Kasparov’s record by becoming the youngest challenger to the world title after winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto, Kasparov congratulated him on X, referring to Gukesh as “the Indian earthquake in Toronto.”
(Inputs from PTI)
For more news like this visit TOI. Get all the Latest News, City News, India News, Business News, and Sports News. For Entertainment News, TV News, and Lifestyle Tips visit Etimes