Haryana Assembly polls: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat with Congress leader KC Venugopal. Pic/PTI

Ending days of speculation, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls.

Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence on Friday, following which they joined the Congress at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in the presence of party leaders KC Venugopal, Deepak Babaria, Pawan Khera, and Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan, news agency PTI reported.

The duo held a press conference with the party leaders during which they joined the Congress. During the press conference, Venugopal claimed that Vinesh Phogat had been issued a showcase notice by the Railways after she met Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. Party sources said the notice talked about violating service rules by meeting political leaders.

Venugopal asked if it was a crime to meet the leader of the opposition and urged the railway authorities to relieve Phogat and not "play politics".

When asked if Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia would contest the Haryana Assembly polls, Venugopal said the party's Central Election Committee would make a decision it.

After joining the party, Vinesh Phogat said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was supporting former national wrestling association chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh while the Congress stood with the protesting wrestlers when they "were being dragged on the roads" in Delhi.

Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were part of the protest against Singh over sexual harassment allegations in 2023.

"I thank the people of the country and the media for supporting me throughout my wrestling journey. I thank the Congress party. Tough times tell you who is with you. When we were dragged on the roads, all parties except BJP stood with us," she said at the press conference.

"I am starting a new innings. Sportspersons should not have to face what we had to go through," Vinesh Phogat said, adding, "We will not be scared or back off. Our court case is going on, we will win that also."

Venugopal said it was a "big day" for the Congress and a proud moment to welcome Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia into the party fold.

"The entire country stood with them when they protested," he said, citing the support extended by Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with other Congress leaders.

"They [Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia] not only stood for themselves but also fought for the farmers," Venugopal added.

"Some people are criticising them for joining the Congress. [But] So many athletes and Olympians are in different parties, is that also a conspiracy?" Venugopal questioned.

Both Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, or at least one of them, are set to contest the Haryana Assembly polls on a Congress ticket, said sources.

Earlier in the day, Vinesh Phogat had resigned from the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons.

Bajrang Punia is a bronze medallist at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo while Vinesh Phogat became the first woman wrestler from the country to reach the Olympics final at Paris this year. However, she was disqualified after being found overweight by about 100 grams in her 50-kilogramme category weigh-in. Subsequently, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from the sport.

Meanwhile, the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are engaged in seat-sharing talks for the Haryana Assembly polls, for which voting will be held on October 5 and the counting three days later.

(With PTI inputs)