Central leadership of Congress will decide whether Vinesh, Bajrang will contest elections: Haryana Congress Spokesperson

Sep 06, 2024

Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], September 6 : Ahead of wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joining the Congress, Haryana Congress Spokesperson Kewal Dhingra stated that the central leadership of the party will decide whether they will contest the elections considering factors like winnability.
Kewal Dhingra said, "Today they (Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat) will be joining Congress at the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The central and state leadership of BJP stood with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The international players were humiliated at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi. They were victims of torture and abuse. The central leadership of the party will decide whether they will contest the elections considering factors like winnability."
He further said that during the 10 years of rule of former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda, 750 sportspersons were given jobs in high positions.
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are scheduled to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Delhi followed by official joining at Party Headquarters on Friday.
Sources said that Bajrang Puniya will not be contesting the Assembly Election he is likely to be appointed as the co-chairman of the campaign committee of Haryana Congress for the Haryana Assembly polls and Vinesh Phogat will contest the election. Her seat will be finalized by the evening.
On Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the national capital.
Polling in Haryana will be held on October 5. Votes will be counted on October 8.
At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh was disqualified from the 50 kg gold medal bout after she was found to be 100 gms overweight. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also dismissed her petition to be awarded a joint silver. She announced her retirement from wrestling on August 8, a day after her disqualification. Since her return home there has been intense speculation that she would enter active politics like her cousin Babita who is a BJP MLA.