Gurugram: Olympian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia—who were at the forefront of protests against sexual harassment in the Indian wrestling body—met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday amid speculation that they may contest the Haryana Assembly elections on 5 October.
The two also met Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Meanwhile, speaking to ThePrint, former state chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda neither confirmed nor denied talk surrounding the wrestlers’ entry into politics from the Congress camp. “What can I say at this stage?” he said.
Just a day ago, AICC in-charge for Haryana Deepak Babaria had said that clarity on Phogat and Punia’s potential nomination would come “day after tomorrow”.
However, sources in the party confirmed the leadership had already offered tickets to the duo—Vinesh has been given options for three seats, while Bajrang has two to choose from.
Those in the know indicated the three seats for Phogat included Dadri and Badhra in Charkhi Dadri district, where her native village, Balali, is located. The third option for her is Julana in Jind, the birthplace of her husband Somvir Rathee.
Vinesh’s cousin Babita Phogat is also interested in contesting from Charkhi Dadri as a BJP candidate, though the ruling party has hinted that former minister Satpal Sangwan’s son Sunil Sangwan, a jail superintendent, might be fielded from here.
Babita Phogat, who along with her sister Geeta Phogat and father Mahavir Phogat inspired the 2016 Aamir Khan starrer Dangal, contested the seat in 2019 on a BJP ticket. She lost to Independent candidate Somveer Sangwan.
The seats offered to Punia are Bahadurgarh and Bhiwani, both urban areas with a considerable population of Jat voters.
However, Bajrang Punia, sources said, is interested in contesting from Sonipat, a seat represented by Congress MLA Surender Panwar, who is currently in jail in an Enforcement Directorate case.
Punia has also shown interest in the Badli seat in Jhajjar, but Congress has already finalised sitting MLA Kuldeep Vats, a prominent Brahmin face.
ThePrint reached Bajrang Punia via calls. A man who identified himself as Punia’s personal assistant stated that discussions about Punia and Phogat contesting polls are ongoing, and he was unable to provide further comment.
Congress sources said Hooda advocated for tickets to the wrestlers in a meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC). He contended that backing the wrestlers would boost public support in Haryana for the party.
After discussions, the party’s poll committee agreed, but the final decision to contest and choose seats has been left to Phogat and Punia, sources said.
Incidentally, Hooda’s son Deepender, the Congress MP from Rohtak, was at the Delhi airport on 17 August to receive Vinesh Phogat after her return from the Paris Olympics. He also travelled in Phogat’s convoy till Gurugram during the roadshow from the airport to Balali.
Phogat, who slayed giants to reach the final, did not finally make the cut as she was found 100 grams overweight in the women’s 50 kg category.
Khap panchayats in various districts of the state have also honoured Phogat. She had participated in the 2020-21 farmers’ movement against the central government.
Last year, women wrestlers had accused then BJP MP and wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment. Led by Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshee Malikkh, the wrestlers held a prolonged agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Vinesh Phogat wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying she would return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards. Malikkh, unhappy with the government’s slow response to their demands, eventually announced her retirement from the sport.
Punia had also dumped his Padma Shri award on a footpath outside Prime Minister Modi’s residence.
Amid the controversy over the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections last year, Rahul Gandhi had visited an akhara in Chhara village in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, where he ‘wrestled’ with Punia. Chhara village falls under the Bahadurgarh assembly seat of Jhajjar district.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: Deepender Hooda at helm, Congress front & centre at Vinesh Phogat’s Haryana homecoming. No BJP