Phogat and Punia Meet Rahul Gandhi, Likely to Contest on Congress Ticket
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Rahul Gandhi, seeking Congress tickets for Haryana assembly polls, with Vinesh favored over Bajrang.
Ace wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Wednesday met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and expressed desire to contest the Haryana assembly polls, said people familiar with the development in the Congress.
The duo also met Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and held discussion about the upcoming polls. A senior Congress leader from Haryana said Vinesh and Bajrang are keen to contest the assembly polls and their names are being considered by KC Venugopal. The same will be sent to the Congress central election committee (CEC), he said.
“Vinesh wants a ticket either from Julana in Jind or Badhra assembly segment in Charkhi Dadri. Both assembly segments are Jat rural belts which remained active during the farmers’ protest against the three controversial farm laws, which are repealed now. Vinesh’s native village falls under Badhra and her in-laws’ village is under Julana. Bajrang wants to contest from Badli in Jhajjar, presently represented by Kuldeep Vats of the Congress,” he added.
A Congress MLA, requesting anonymity, said the state Congress leadership wants to pitch only Vinesh, not Bajrang. “Bajrang is the brother-in-law of Vinesh. Giving two tickets in a family will send a wrong message. The Congress is clearly on the winning side in Badhra and Julana. Vinesh should be pitched from Dadri where Phogat Khap plays an important role in the election. As BJP pitched former jail superintendent Suneel Sangwan from Dadri by dropping Vinesh’s cousin Babita, she should be given a ticket from there,” the MLA added.
The MLA further said that the Congress’ state leadership wants to pitch anyone from the families of either former MLA Ran Singh Mann or Somvir Sheoran from Badhra. Mann had remained Badhra MLA twice and Somvir is son-in-law of former Haryana chief minister Bansi Lal.
While talking to reporters in Delhi, former state chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda neither confirmed nor denied speculation regarding wrestlers contesting the election on Congress’ ticket.
When contacted, Badli MLA Kuldeep Vats, amid speculation that Bajrang has sought ticket from Badli, said that he has faith in the leadership of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Hooda. “These reports are baseless. With the blessings of people and my leadership, I will contest from Badli,” he added.
Vats is considered close to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Hooda and he defeated BJP’s state chief OP Dhankar in the 2019 assembly polls.
After Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the final bout of the 2024 Olympic Games, Congress veteran and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda had proposed offering her a Rajya Sabha seat in recognition of her achievements. However, Phogat did not meet the age requirement for a Rajya Sabha nomination.
Despite repeated attempts, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan could not be reached for comments on this issue. Both the wrestlers also remained tightlipped about their political plunge.
Vinesh had been at the forefront during wrestlers’ protest against Wrestling Federation of India’s ex-chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in an alleged sexual harassment case.
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday registered a case against former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Read more
After winning a total of 7 medals in the Tokyo Olympics, India set a single Olympic medal for the best Read more
India won the highest record of 7 medals in the Olympics because it won 1 gold, 2 silver and 4 Read more
Wrestler’s lawyer says submission will be made before anti-doping body’s appeals panel by its Tuesday deadline Wrestler Bajrang Punia, the Read more
