Congress Releases First List for Haryana Polls, Vinesh Phogat to Contest from Julana

Chandigarh: Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been nominated by the Congress to contest the Haryana Assembly elections from Julana, marking a significant turn in her career following her Olympic disqualification.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will run from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, while Congress state president Udai Bhan will contest from Hodal. The party also announced 31 other candidates, including Mewa Singh, who will challenge Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in Ladwa.

Other notable Congress candidates include Surender Panwar from Sonipat, Bharat Bhushan Batra from Rohtak, Kuldeep Vats from Badli, Chiranjeev Rao from Rewari and Neeraj Sharma from Faridabad NIT.

Vinesh Phogat, alongside Bajrang Punia on Friday joined the Congress following their high-profile protest against alleged mistreatment by former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, a former BJP MP. Phogat expressed gratitude towards the public and media for their support during her wrestling career and highlighted her belief in Congress’s stand against injustice, especially towards women. She vowed to advocate for sportspersons and fight against systemic issues.

The BJP, which has governed Haryana for a decade, recently replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as Chief Minister. Congress is currently negotiating with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over seat-sharing for the 90-member Haryana Assembly. The state elections are scheduled for October 5, with results to be declared on October 8.