Chandigarh: Renowned wrestler Vinesh Phogat may soon enter the political arena, as speculation grows following her meeting with former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday. According to sources, the Congress party has extended an offer to Phogat to contest from one of three assembly seats in Haryana: Charkhi-Dadri, Barda, and Julana.
Charkhi-Dadri, Phogat’s home district, is a Jat-dominated area, adding political weight to her potential candidacy. The Barda seat includes Phogat’s native village of Balali, where she began her journey into wrestling. Julana, on the other hand, is linked to Phogat’s marital ties, being the native constituency of her husband, national-level wrestler Somveer Rathi. Despite the offer, Phogat has not yet signalled her consent or interest in contesting any of these seats.
Congress Eyes Wrestlers for Haryana Contest
Vinesh Phogat is not the only wrestler the Congress is considering for the upcoming Haryana elections. Bajrang Punia, another well-known name in the wrestling world, has also been offered a chance to contest from either Bahadurgarh or Bhiwani, both Jat-dominated constituencies. Punia, who was also present at the meeting with Rahul Gandhi, has yet to comment on the offer.
Phogat’s potential political debut comes after her high-profile confrontation with BJP leader and former MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whom she accused of sexual harassment during his tenure as president of the Wrestling Federation of India. Her stand against Singh won her significant support from the Congress, which fully backed her cause.
From the Arena to the Assembly?
The possibility of Phogat and Punia entering the political fray marks a new chapter in Haryana’s wrestling-politics dynamic. Wrestlers entering politics is not a novel phenomenon in Haryana. Several athletes, including Babita Phogat, have previously transitioned from sports to political roles.
With 90 assembly seats up for grabs, Haryana will go to the polls in a single phase on October 5, with results expected on October 8. As the political landscape in Haryana heats up, all eyes are on whether these celebrated wrestlers will make a leap from the wrestling mat to the political battlefield.
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