Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia step up for next bout in politics, will contest as Congress candidates

NEW DELHI: Wrestling stars Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia will contest as Congress candidates in the Haryana elections. Polling will be held in Haryana on October 5. Earlier there were rumors about Vinesh Phogat joining Congress ahead of the elections.

Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today at the latter’s residence. It is reported that Vinesh will contest from Julana. Amarjeet Dhanda of the Jananayak Janata Party is the current member of the Legislative Assembly there. Information about Bajrang Punia's seat has not been released.

Vinesh, who returned to India from Paris after a melodramatic Olympics exit, received a rousing welcome at Delhi airport. Tens of thousands waited with garlands to welcome the wrestler from New Delhi International Airport to her native village in Sonipat. The popular support for Vinesh across the nation, especially in Haryana forced Congress to rope in the wrestling champion to their side.

Vinesh was said to be very close with Congress leader and MP Deependra Hooda. BJP had plans to felicitate Vinesh but gave up after knowing about the wrestler’s lineation towards the opposition.