Vinesh Phogat under lens as posters seeking to find 'missing' MLA pop up Julana

Rohtak: Congress legislator and former international wrestling icon Vinesh Phogat was put on a spot after posters seeking to find the 'missing MLA' popped across her constituency in Julana, Haryana.

The posters pointed to the fact that Phogat had missed the entirety of the winter session of the Haryana assembly. Not surprisingly, she faced flak from her political opponents and some of the electorates.

The posters, photos of which went viral on social media, asked people to report if the spotted Phogat. “The assembly session is over. But MLA 'madam' missed it entirely. If anyone spots her, please inform the residents of Julana,” the posters said. Though no one knows who created the posters, speculation is that either frustrated constituents or her political rivals might have created them.

The winter session of the Haryana Assembly, the first full session since the October elections, ran from November 13 to 19. The BJP secured a third consecutive term with 48 seats in the 90-member house, while the Congress won 37 seats. Phogat, a first-time MLA, clinched victory in Julana, a constituency in Jind district.
The incident gave rival parties, particularly the BJP, ammunition to target Phogat and the Congress.

Phogat’s explanation
A member of Phogat's staff claimed that she missed the session because she was visiting other states where elections were being held as the star campaigner for the Congress. “Her responsibilities as a star campaigner prevented her from attending the assembly session,” he clarified. He said the MLA would prioritise Julana's issues in future sessions.
He said she attended Priyanka Gandhi's election campaign in Wayand and Maharashtra. She would be in Julana after attending a wrestling 'Dangal' in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

However, the explanation seems to have failed to appease her critics. Many questioned whether campaigning should outweigh legislative duties.
Speaker Harvinder Kalyan acknowledged that MLAs often have valid reasons for missing sessions and clarified that Phogat had informed the house of her absence as per norms.

Julana not impressed
In Julana, however, residents expressed disappointment over the newly elected legislator's decision to skip the assembly. The constituency has long struggled with issues such as poor roads, irregular water supply, and unemployment. Many voters hoped their MLA would raise these concerns in the assembly.

“We voted her because of her strong persona and promise to bring change,” said Rajesh, a shopkeeper. “But if she’s absent when it matters the most, how will our problems be addressed?”

Another resident remarked that while Phogat’s sporting achievements were admirable, political success requires a different level of commitment. “We understand she is new to politics, but attending the assembly is her primary duty,” he said.

Some voters also pointed out that Phogat’s social media activity showed her campaigning in Wayanad. “She promised to be the voice of Julana in the assembly. It’s disheartening to see her prioritise campaigning over her constituents,” one voter added.

Phogat’s entry into politics earlier this year generated significant excitement. A celebrated wrestler with multiple international accolades, she transitioned into politics after retiring from competitive sports. Contesting on a Congress ticket, she defeated BJP candidate Captain Yogesh Bairagi by over 6,000 votes, securing more than 65,000 votes in total.

Criticism from rivals
BJP leaders accused Phogat of neglecting her constituency and criticised the Congress for prioritising electoral campaigns over governance. The party circulated these posters widely on social media, attempting to further expose the issue to Haryana’s electorate.