The cricketing world and political arena have converged as Rinku Singh, the renowned cricketer, recently got engaged to Priya Saroj, the Member of Parliament from Machhlishahr, Uttar Pradesh. The engagement ceremony, held privately at a five-star hotel in Lucknow on Saturday, was attended by a host of dignitaries. Among the attendees were Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party’s National President; Rajeev Shukla, the Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India; and Jaya Bachchan, the actress and politician. Social media has been abuzz with photos and videos of the event. The wedding is scheduled for November 18th at the Taj Hotel in Varanasi.
Priya Saroj, a young 26-year-old, is a politician and lawyer. She currently represents Machhlishahr as a Member of Parliament. Her father, Tufani Saroj, is a three-time MP and the current MLA from Kerakat. Priya’s political career began in the 2024 general elections, where she was elected under the banner of the Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav. Born in Varanasi on November 23, 1998, she studied at the Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute in New Delhi. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Pradesh University (Turkey) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Amity University, Noida. Prior to her political career, she practiced law in the Supreme Court of India. It is understood that she initially aspired to become a judge, which led her to the political landscape. During the 2024 elections, she secured a comfortable win in Machhlishahr, a seat formerly held by her father, with a margin of 35,850 votes. Her campaign emphasized issues like youth employment and women’s empowerment.