Starting new innings: Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress ahead of Haryana polls

New Delhi: India's top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Friday joined the Congress here in the run-up to the Haryana Assembly elections on October 5. The development comes two days after the wrestlers met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and fuels speculation about them entering the poll fray. It is expected that Phogat will contest the election from Julana, the seat held by the Jannayak Janta Party's Amarjeet Dhanda, while Punia is set for the Badli constituency, the Congress seat, where the state BJP has fielded former state unit president Om Prakash Dhankar.

"Starting new innings, I want that sportspersons don't have to go through what we went through," Vinesh Phogat said after joining the Congress party.

Earlier in the day, the duo -- Phogat and Punia -- met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence. After the meeting, Kharge wrote on social media platform X, "Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Meeting our talented champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia who have made India proud in the world at 10 Rajaji Marg. We are proud of both of you."

Phogat also shared a copy of her resignation on 'X' from Indian Railways, saying the job has been memorable for life.
"Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life. At this point in my life, I have decided to separate myself from the railway service and have submitted my resignation to the competent authorities of the Indian Railways," she said. "I will always be grateful to the Indian Railway family for this opportunity given to me by the Railways in the service of the nation," Phogat wrote on X.

Both Punia and Phogat, along with wrestler Sakshi Malik, were the prominent faces who protested against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, former BJP MP and then chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, who they accused of harassing young wrestlers. Ever since Phogat, 29, who missed out on an Olympic medal in Paris after she was disqualified for being overweight hours before her final bout in the 50 kg category, returned to India, Congress leaders have been meeting her.

Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda was the first politician to reach IGI Airport in Delhi to welcome her. Phogat, on August 23 met Deepender Hooda and his father and two-time Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda along with her wrestler husband Somvir Rathee at the Congress leaders' residence in Delhi. Phogat had also joined protesting farmers at the Shambhu protest site on the Punjab and Haryana border on August 31. When asked about contesting the Haryana elections, she replied: "I will not talk about politics. I have come to meet my family." The elections in Haryana are scheduled to take place in a single phase on October 5, with the counting of votes set for October 8.
(With IANS inputs.)