Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia Join Congress, Set to Contest Haryana Assembly Seats
Chandigarh, 4th September 2024: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress party on Wednesday and are set to run in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. Vinesh Phogat, 30, is expected to contest the Julana seat currently held by Amarjeet Dhanda of the Jannayak Janta Party, while Bajrang Punia, also 30, will vie for the Badli seat on behalf of Congress.
The two athletes met with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day. Their inclusion is notable as Congress is finalizing election candidates and negotiating a seat-sharing agreement with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
This move is seen as a strategic enhancement for Congress, especially since some state leaders have expressed doubts about collaborating with AAP. A preliminary agreement between Congress and AAP was discussed late last night.
The Congress and AAP are part of the INDIA bloc, which united opposition parties for the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, but their coalition has not significantly influenced state elections. Gandhi is pushing for a stronger alliance to improve their chances against the BJP.
Sources indicate that AAP is seeking to contest 10 of Haryana’s 90 seats, while Congress is hesitant to offer more than seven seats, with one seat likely reserved for the Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav. Negotiations between AAP’s Raghav Chadha and Congress’ KC Venugopal are expected to continue today.
For Congress, Phogat’s appeal among Haryana farmers—many of whom have been protesting against BJP policies—could be a significant advantage. Phogat recently visited protesting farmers at Shambhu on the Haryana-Delhi border, expressing solidarity and calling for justice.
Last year, Phogat and Punia gained prominence for their protests against former wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who faced allegations of sexual assault and intimidation. Singh, a former BJP MP, was replaced by his son Karan Bhushan Singh for the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat.
