Haryana Assembly Elections: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Likely To Contest Julana And Badli Seats

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are expected to run as Congress candidates in the Haryana assembly elections, representing Julana and Badli, respectively, according to media reports.

Image: X

New Delhi: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have officially joined the Congress party and will contest in the Haryana Assembly elections scheduled for next month, according to NDTV. Phogat, 30, is set to run for the Julana seat currently held by Amarjeet Dhanda of the Jannayak Janta Party, while Punia, also 30, will compete for the Badli seat under the Congress banner. The wrestlers met with Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, in Delhi, just a day after the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) finalized the list of candidates for the October 5 elections.

There’s speculation that Congress might also offer Vinesh Phogat the Charkhi Dadri seat. The CEC has shortlisted 59 candidates, including 27 of the party’s 28 sitting legislators. This comes amid ongoing discussions about a potential pre-poll alliance between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with sources saying that Congress is currently offering seven seats while AAP is demanding ten.

Deepak Babaria, AICC in-charge for Haryana, mentioned that the final list of candidates will be released by September 4, though he clarified that neither Vinesh Phogat nor Bajrang Punia's candidacies were discussed at the recent meeting.

Following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics due to weight issues, Vinesh Phogat received a warm welcome from Congress leaders, including Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda. On August 23, Phogat visited the Hoodas in Delhi, accompanied by her husband, Somvir Rathee. She also joined protesting farmers at the Shambhu protest site on August 31, though she remained tight-lipped about her political ambitions.

With 2,556 leaders vying for tickets, Congress is finalizing its candidates ahead of the single-phase election on October 5, with results set to be announced on October 8.