Putting days of speculations to rest, star wrestlers Vinesh Phogal and Bajrang Punia joined Congress on Friday afternoon. Before the formal induction, they also met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader KC Venugopal in the national capital.
Speaking during the press conference, KC Venugopal said these two atheltes not only fought for their fraternity, but also for kisan and agnivar. "People may say that the Congress party did the conspiracy, So many Olympian are in different parties is that also a conspiracy?," he asked.
Sources said that Bajrang Punia, apart from the star campaigner of the Congress party, will be given an appropriate post in the congress organisation, if he would not be given a ticket.
Vinesh and Bajrang joined the grand old party at around 3 pm at the AICC headquarters in the national capital. This development comes after it was widely speculated that the duo could context the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections as Congress candidates. The Assembly elections in Haryana are scheduled to take place next month.
Earlier on September 4, both wrestlers met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary KC Venugopal in New Delhi. The Congress had also put out a photograph of Gandhi with Phogat and Punia on its official X handle. Punia and Phogat were part of the protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023.
Will Vinesh Phogat, Punia contest Haryana polls?
Sources confirmed that Phogat is set to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana. However, Punia will join the congress party but will not contest the election this time. Earlier, a close relative to Vinesh also confirmed that the wrestler will contest the Assembly elections in Haryana. "Yes, Vinesh will contest elections in Haryana. From where? That party will decide," "She was not ready earlier but for the betterment of the society, Haryana, she is now set to take on the political field. She has faced a lot in all these years. Hope people will support her," a source close to Vinesh Phogat had told IANS.
Vinesh missed medal at Paris Olympics
At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh was disqualified from the 50 kg gold medal bout after she was found to be 100 gms overweight. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also dismissed her petition to be awarded a joint silver. She announced her retirement from wrestling on August 8, a day after her disqualification. Since her return home there has been intense speculation that she would enter active politics like her cousin Babita who is a BJP MLA.
Haryana Assembly Elections 2024
The Election Commission of India (ECI) today (August 31) revised the polling day for Haryana Assembly Elections from October 1 to October 5, this year as well as moved the counting of votes for both Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Assemblies from October 4 to October 8. The decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar as per the ECI.
(Input: Sunny Malik)
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