However, Congress MP from north Mumbai Sanjay Nirupam welcomed the move. “Sachin deserves every bit and more. He also deserves a Bharat Ratna. I whole heartedly welcome this decision,” he said. BJP legislator Madhav Bhandari, however, said: “As a fan of Tendulkar, I will welcome this move, but as an observer of politics, it will be like keeping him away from his biggest passion — cricket. I also see this as a trick to keep Tendulkar away from a Bharat Ratna.”

Commoners, on the other hand, were baffled even at the possibility of Tendulkar as a Rajya Sabha member. “I am perplexed. Who recommended him? What were they thinking? And tell me what will he do on that position? Sachin is a good cricketer and let them stay in the field of cricket and achieve greater heights,” said Deep Vora, a software professional.u00a0Agreed Mumbaikar Raghavendra B R, a musician. “Sachin is an achiever in his own right. But I don’t quite agree with him being nominated for Rajya Sabha, especially, with his busy schedule,” he said.