Wrestlers Vinesh, Bajrang Punia join Congress, to contest Haryana polls
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on Wednesday and will contest next month's Haryana Assembly election. The 30-year-old Phogat is expected to challenge for the Julana seat held by the Jannayak Janta Party's Amarjeet Dhanda. Meanwhile, Punia will defend the Congress's Badli seat. The two met with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi this afternoon and are likely to resign from their current positions, according to news agency ANI.
Wrestlers' entry strengthens Congress's position
The timing of Phogat and Punia's entry into the Congress is significant as the party is currently nominating election candidates and involved in seat-sharing talks with the Aam Aadmi Party. This is being seen as a move to strengthen its bargaining position, especially since some Haryana Congress leaders have expressed reservations about an alliance with the AAP.
Phogat, Punia's political debut amid seat-sharing talks
The Congress and the AAP are members of the INDIA bloc that united the opposition ahead of the April-June Lok Sabha election. However, this alliance has not been a key factor in state elections since its formation last year. Gandhi is keen to change this, understanding that a united opposition stands a better chance of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party, whether at the center or state level.
Wrestlers' appeal to Haryana voters
The Congress hopes that bringing Phogat and Punia onboard will strengthen its appeal among voters in Haryana, a state ruled by the BJP since 2014. Phogat's connection with Haryana farmers, who continue to protest against the BJP on issues like legal guarantees for MSP, is also expected to be a factor in the Congress's consideration. Last week, she visited farmers at a protest site in Shambhu on the Haryana-Delhi border, expressing solidarity with them.
Wrestlers led protests last year
Phogat and Punia made headlines last year after leading protests against former wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces charges of sexual assault and intimidation. He was also a three-time BJP MP at the time but, under fire from the opposition and wary of the optics, was denied a ticket to defend Uttar Pradesh's Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat. The BJP instead fielded his son Karan Bhushan Singh, who won the seat.
