Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Join Congress Ahead of Haryana Assembly Elections

New Delhi: In a significant move ahead of Haryana’s upcoming Assembly elections, Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have officially joined the Congress party. Both wrestlers had been at the forefront of last year’s protests against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who was accused of sexual assault. They met with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday before formally joining the party at an event on Friday.

Phogat and Punia were welcomed into the party by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in New Delhi. Kharge praised their achievements, calling them “champions who made India proud.” Phogat, speaking at the event, expressed her gratitude to the Congress for standing by them during difficult times, contrasting it with the ruling BJP’s stance during their protests.

चक दे इंडिया, चक दे हरियाणा!

दुनिया में भारत का नाम रौशन करने वाले हमारे प्रतिभाशाली चैंपियन विनेश फोगाट और बजरंग पुनिया से 10 राजाजी मार्ग पर मुलाक़ात।

हमें आप दोनों पर गर्व है। pic.twitter.com/aFRwfFeeo1

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) September 6, 2024

Prior to joining the Congress, Phogat resigned from her position as an Officer on Special Duty with Northern Railways, citing personal reasons. She posted her resignation letter on X (formerly Twitter), expressing her appreciation for her time with the Indian Railways.

Phogat’s popularity surged recently after she was disqualified for exceeding the weight limit at the 50 kg freestyle wrestling final, where she was set to win a medal. Following her disqualification, Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling and soon after expressed her support for protesting farmers in Haryana, stating she stood with them in their fight for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

The entry of Phogat and Punia is expected to give Congress a boost, especially among Haryana’s significant farmer voting bloc. The Congress hopes the wrestlers’ popularity will help strengthen their negotiations with AAP in Haryana, where seat-sharing talks for the 90 constituencies are ongoing.

The Congress has faced delays in releasing its candidate list, while the BJP is dealing with internal conflicts following its announcement. Notably, Energy Minister Ranjit Chautala and MLA Lakshman Napa have resigned from the BJP, with Chautala set to contest as an independent and Napa announcing his intent to join Congress.