Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat is likely to contest upcoming Assembly elections on a Congress ticket, sources said on Wednesday. This came after Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary KC Venugopal in New Delhi on Wednesday. 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.
Congress-AAP alliance talks
Meanwhile, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have started seat-sharing talks for the Haryana assembly polls which could lead to the continuation of the alliance they had in the state during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. According to sources, AAP has demanded nine seats, however, the Congress party is not willing to give more than seven seats. The alliance could also include Samajwadi Party, they added. The Congress has formed a three-member committee, which includes the party's screening committee chairman for the state Ajay Maken, AICC in-charge of Haryana Deepak Babaria and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, for seat-sharing talks with Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party.
Sources confirm Vinesh's entry into political field
Meanwhile, a close relative to Vinesh has confirmed that the wrestler will contest the Assembly elections in Haryana but no confirmation on Bajrang Punia yet.
"Yes Vinesh will contest elections (Haryana). From where? That party will decide," a source close to Vinesh Phogat told IANS. "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. About Bajrang Punia I am not sure."
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.
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