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Beijing 2008 Olympic stars Vijender Singh and Akhil Kumar are turning down offers to endorse political parties; want to focus on boxing

From contesting elections to flocking rallies, stars from different fraternities are out to win over voters, but with a few exceptions. Beijing Olympic champions Vijender Singh and Akhil Kumar have turned down proposals from various political parties to campaign for them. Instead, the ace boxers want to bring more laurels for the country with their hard work and dedication towards the game.

Vijender Singh	Akhil Kumar

As India is warming up for the General Elections, celebs are on the campaign trail to draw voters' attention. However,Vijender Singh, the first Indian boxer to win an Olympics medal, has preferred to distance himself from endorsing any political party. "I have got a few proposals from various political parties. But I won't campaign for them. I don't want to be associated with any political party. I would like focus on sporting activity," Vijender told MiD DAY.

"I would not like to name them as it would not be in good taste," he added when MiD DAY asked him to name a few.

The popularity graph of the boxer, who hails from a small village in Haryana, is on the high since he made India proud at Beijing Olympics, 2008. He has been hogging the limelight acting for a number of television commercials and making guest appearances in TV shows.

Another star Akhil Kumar, who stunned world champions at Beijing Olympics last year, is also not interested to jump into the poll circus. "Boxing is my bread and butter. I want to concentrate more on my sport. A few proposals have come, but I don't wish to campaign for any party," said Kumar. He too denied naming the political parties.

Starpower

A number of Bollywood stars have already started campaigning for political parties. While Salman Khan addressed a few political rallies in Uttar Pradesh for a Congress candidate, Preity Zinta and Shah Rukh Khan are expected to campaign for the party. Though the Supreme Court disallowed actor Sanjay Dutt to contest polls, he will be campaigning for the Samajwadi Party along with Jaya Bachchan and Jayaprada. Govinda is also likely to campaign for Congress. To counter the star power of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who is contesting elections on a Congress ticket, the BJP is planning to rope in Navjot Singh Sidhu to campaign against him in Moradabad, UP. Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is likely to be Election Commission's Poll Ambassador.