Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday amid speculation that they might run in the upcoming Haryana assembly elections on Congress party tickets, scheduled for October 5, according to news agency ANI. Sources suggest that the wrestlers are likely to resign from their current positions.
Previously, Vinesh Phogat had met with former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda upon returning from the Paris Olympics, where Hooda indicated that Congress is open to new members. On Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia also met with Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal in New Delhi. Vinesh Phogat, who retired after being disqualified for being overweight before her gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics, has been active in supporting farmers’ causes.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is seeking a third consecutive term in the Haryana elections, while Congress aims to regain power. The Election Commission of India has rescheduled the Haryana assembly election to October 5, moving it from the previously planned October 1.
Vinesh Phogat recently joined farmers at the Shambhu border to mark the 200th day of their protest for a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on August 31. When asked if she would consider running in the elections if nominated by Congress, Phogat stated, “I don’t want to discuss it. I have come to support my family members (farmers), and any focus on me should not overshadow their struggle. I am a sportsperson and an Indian citizen; elections are not my concern. My priority is the welfare of farmers.”
Bhupinder Singh Hooda had previously dismissed rumors about Vinesh Phogat joining Congress as a “hypothetical question.” Vinesh Phogat, a prominent athlete and supporter of the farmers’ movement, was honored by farmers on Saturday. The past month has been challenging for her, as she returned from the Paris Olympics without a medal despite reaching the final in the women’s 50kg event.