Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who joined the Congress party on Friday, is set to contest Haryana Assembly election from Julana seat. Her name has been finalised in the Congress’ Central Election Committee meeting which took place on Friday.
However, wrestler Bajrang Punia, who joined the grand old party along with Phogat, has not been given a ticket to contest the assembly election.
Earlier in the day, Phogat termed her political innings as a new chapter in her life and said that she will continue to work for the rights of other athletes.
Referring to the ongoing sexual harassment case against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh, Phoghat said, “It was only the Congress party who understood our tears. This is a new chapter in my life. I will work for other athletes so that they don’t have to go through what we went through.”
“With the new platform that we are getting today, we will work for the service of the nation. The way we played our game with heart, we will give our best to work for our people. I want to tell my sisters, that I am with them. If there will be no one for you, I will be there, Congress party will be there. I have felt this, and I can assure you that we will be there for sure,” she added.
Phogat said that when the wrestlers were protesting on the roads, all the political parties except the BJP stood with them.
“I could have quit wrestling at Jantar Mantar because the BJP’s IT cell was publicising that we were spent forces. They said I did not want to play in the nationals but I did; they said I did not want to do trials, I did that… They said I could not go to the Olympics but I did… Unfortunately, it was not god’s will,” she said.
Ever since Vinesh Phogat met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of joining the party, it was speculated that the wrestler may be fielded from either from Charkhi Dadri or Julana.
Phogat on Friday resigned from the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons.
The wrestler while speaking on her disqualification ahead of final match in Paris Olympics said that one day she would reveal the details about the whole controversy. While responding to a question that there might be a political conspiracy behind her disqualification, she said, “It is very emotional thing for me I will talk in details about it. Be patient I will speak on it one day,” she said.
Bajrang Punia gets new role in party
Punia has been appointed as the Working Chairman of All India Kisan Congress with immediate effect.
“Congress President has approved the proposal for the appointment of Bajrang Punia as the Working Chairman of All India Kisan Congress, with immediate effect,” read the statement released by the grand old party.
Punia expressed gratitude to the Congress top leaders and said, “I would like to thank our Speaker Mr. @kharge ji, Leader of Opposition, @RahulGandhi ji, @kcvenugopalmp ji for giving me such a big responsibility. I will try to stand shoulder to shoulder with the farmers facing the crisis and become a partner in their struggle and work as a true soldier of the organisation. Jai Kisan.”
Phogat and Punia joined the party in the presence of Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, spokesperson Pawan Khera and Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan. The two had earlier met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Punia and Phogat were part of the months-long protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh in 2023.
Several BJP leaders termed the wrestlers’ protest “politically motivated” after Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with Phogat and Punia ahead of Haryana Assembly elections.
Punia also attacked the BJP and said the wrestlers had invited women MPs from the party during the protest, but “they didn’t stand with the daughters”.
AAP-Congress alliance in Haryana?
Meanwhile, according to sources, talks are going on between Congress and AAP for alliance in Haryana Assembly elections.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha has said that Congress and AAP will likely form an alliance in national interest in Haryana and every possible effort is being made to ousted the BJP from power.
The AAP and the Congress, partners in the Indian Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), contested the recent Lok Sabha polls in Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi together.
In Haryana, the AAP was given the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha seat. Haryana state president Sushil Gupta contested from Kurukshetra and lost to BJP’s Navin Jindal.
Sources in the AAP claimed that several “disgruntled” leaders of the BJP and the Congress were ready to join the party in Haryana.
Brij Bhushan on Women Wrestlers’ Allegations
Brij Bhushan Singh has said that the allegations of sexual harassment against him were “conspiracy of the Congress”.
“Senior Congress leaders from Haryana – Deepender Singh Hooda and Bhupinder Singh Hooda – are hatching conspiracy against me. Whatever I had said on day one, I still stand by it. And today, the same thing is being said by the entire country,” Singh had said.
