Vinesh Phogat gets Haryana ballot paper hours after joining Congress

Haryana Polls: Vinesh Phogat to contest against Julana

Vinesh Phogat has been given a ticket by the Congress to contest the Haryana elections from Julana, marking a new beginning in the life of the famous sports star, whose disqualification from the Olympics broke the heart of the country.

Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will contest the elections from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi and state chief Udai Bhan from Hodal, the party said as it released a list of 31 names for the elections.

Congress’ Mewa Singh is pitted against Ladwa Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.

Surender Panwar will join Sonipat, Bharat Bhushan Batra of Rohtak, Kuldeep Vats of Badli, Chiranjeev Rao of Revari and Neeraj Sharma of Faridabad NIT.

Earlier today, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, the central figures in the wrestlers’ protest against alleged sexual exploitation and harassment by then WFI chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, joined the Congress with a pledge to “not be afraid or back down”.

“I thank the people of the country and the media, you have supported me throughout my wrestling journey. I thank the Congress party, they say that difficult times tell you who is with you. When we were dragged on the road, all parties except the BJP stood by us and understood our pain and tears,” said the 30-year-old former wrestler, who was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics after she failed to make weight on the morning of her gold medal bout.

Ms Phogat, whose father was shot dead when she was nine, said she was proud to belong to a party and an ideology that opposed injustice against women and was willing to take the fight from the streets to parliament.

“I am starting a new innings. I don’t want sportspeople to go through what we had to go through,” Ms Phogat said, adding that her move could inspire them.

The BJP, which has been in power in the state for a decade, replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister with Nayab Singh Saini in March this year.

Rival Congress is in seat-sharing talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for 90 seats in Haryana. Both parties are on a roll.

The state goes to the polls all at once on October 5. The votes will be counted on October 8.