Netas catch FIFA fever

NEW DELHI: Football fever seems to be catching on with the who’s who in the political circle in Delhi.

Out of the 4,000 to 5,000 Indians that are headed to Germany for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup, a list of India’s A-listers will be cheering from the soccer stands.

One of Delhi’s own, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, president of the All India Football Federation of India (AIFFA) and cabinet minister, will show his love for football by travelling all the way to Germany to get the action live. Munshi is going to attend the semi-finals and finals of the football world cup.

Football fanatic and Congress MP from Bhiwani, Kuldeep Bishnoi is also set to take off for Germany. Bishnoi, who is already in London, says, “I am going to catch all the action and will be there for the finals in Berlin. Nothing can replace the fun of watching the action unfold in front of your eyes.”

Others, who will be in Germany for work, will manage to join the fun too. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, along with commerce minister Kamal

Nath, minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma and Andhra MP Madhu Goud Yaskhi, are going to be in Berlin and Stuttgart for a conference on globalisation and its effects in India at the same time as the World Cup.

“We are actually going for work. A lot of our stay in Germany will be all about meetings, but we will definitely try and catch some action if we manage to get tickets. It is a good coincidence that we will be in Germany during the World Cup,” said Yaskhi.