Former Russian chess world champion Garry Kasparov said that he hoped that his “little joke” would be seen as a joke and not “advocacy or expertise in Indian politics!” Kasparov has responded to a post, following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s love for the game went viral.
Kasparov said it was just a joke and that he could not fail to see a politician dabbling in his beloved game.
"I very much hope my little joke does not pass for advocacy or expertise in Indian politics! But as an 'all-seeing monster with 1000 eyes,' as I was once described, I cannot fail to see a politician dabbling in my beloved game!"
A user on X made a cheeky comment on his page, which read "feel so relieved that @Kasparov63 and @vishy64theking [Viswanathan Anand] retired early and didn't have to face the greatest chess genius of our times." Kasparov had made his “little joke” to this post.
“Traditional (sic) dictates that you should first win from Raebareli before challenging for the top!” the 61-year-old wrote. The mention of Raebareli was due to Rahul Gandhi filing his nomination on Friday from Uttar Pradesh’s city along with Wayanad in Kerala.
In a recent video shared by the Congress, Gandhi, named Kasparov as his favourite chess player and he described him as a "non-linear thinker". "...once you get slightly better at it, the opponent's pieces actually operate almost like your own," he drew a comparison between chess and politics.
Garry Kasparov is a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin who is based in Croatia after he fled his country. According to The Indian Express, there is an arrest warrant in Russia on charges of terrorism due to his defiance against the ruling party.
In a post by senior Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, he too, said that Rahul Gandhi was an experienced “player of politics and chess”. He also said that Raebareli was not only the seat of Sonia Gandhi but Indira Gandhi as well, he further added, that this wasn’t an inheritance but a responsibility.
Kasparov, who was the former world number 1 for a record 255 weeks, became the youngest-ever undisputed world champion at the age of 22 in 1985. He retired in 2005 and is currently a political activist.
The iconic player is a contemporary of Indian great Viswanathan Anand.