Vinesh Phogat to contest elections on behalf of Julana after joining Congress

Haryana State Elections 2024: Vinesh Phogat has been nominated by the Congress to contest the Haryana elections from Julana, marking a new chapter for the renowned athlete after her disqualification from the Olympics left the country deeply affected.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will contest from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, and state chief Udai Bhan will contest from Hodal, according to the party’s list of 31 candidates. Congress’ Mewa Singh will contest against Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in Ladwa.

Surender Panwar will be running for Sonipat, Bharat Bhushan Batra of Rohtak, Kuldeep Vats of Badli, Chiranjeev Rao of Rewari and Neeraj Sharma of Faridabad NIT.

Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia vow to fight for justice and women’s rights

Earlier today, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who led the protest against alleged sexual exploitation and harassment by former WFI leader and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, joined the Congress and vowed “not to be afraid or back down.”

“I thank the people of the country and the media for their support during my wrestling career. I also thank the Congress party. Difficult times show who really stands by you. When we were going through tough times, all parties except the BJP supported us and understood our pain,” said the 30-year-old former wrestler, who was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics for being overweight before 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 fights against injustice against women and is ready to take this fight from the streets to parliament.

“I am starting a new chapter. I hope other athletes don’t have to go through the same struggles as we did,” said Ms Phogat, who hoped her decision would inspire others.

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

The Congress is currently in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the sharing of 90 seats in Haryana. Both parties are engaged in tough negotiations.

The state will hold a single-phase election on October 5, with votes being counted on October 8.

Also Read: Divide between AAP, Congress over seat sharing in Haryana; Will AAP contest elections on its own?