Haryana elections: Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia join Congress

Haryana: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are set to join the Indian National Congress at 1:30 pm today, just ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections. This comes just days after their meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on September 4, leading to widespread speculation about their political move. Both Punia and Phogat were at the forefront of protests against former BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of harassing young wrestlers.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar remarked, “I think our athletes have been caught in a political maze during the protests. What started then is now reaching its peak. The wrestlers’ protest was politically motivated. These people (wrestlers) are seeking tickets from the Congress. It means there is some collusion. If it was not clear then, it is quite clear now,” as reported by ANI. The Congress sees the wrestler’s entry into politics as an opportunity to take advantage of the anti-incumbency wave in the state and garner Jat votes. Last month, Phogat missed out on an Olympic medal due to disqualification, following which Haryana minister Bhupinder Hooda offered her a Rajya Sabha seat. However, she was disqualified due to age.