Renowned wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are poised to become members of the Indian National Congress this Saturday, right before the Haryana legislative elections.
This announcement comes on the heels of their meeting with Congress’s Rahul Gandhi on September 4 in New Delhi, sparking widespread expectations of their political debut following their conversation with the prominent political leader.
Their inclusion is seen as a significant bolster to the Congress party’s leverage, particularly amidst some of the Haryana Congress members’ reservations about forming an alliance with the AAP.
Both athletes were seen arriving at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi for their official induction into the party.
Phogat took to social media platform X to share her resignation note from Indian Railways, expressing pride and fond memories of her tenure there.
“In a significant move at this juncture of my career, I’ve chosen to step down from railway service, submitting my resignation to the Indian Railways’ competent authorities. The opportunity to serve the nation through the Railways, which has been a substantial part of my journey, is something I’ll always hold in high regard,” Phogat posted on X.
Deepak Babaria, the AICC official overseeing Haryana, confirmed ongoing discussions with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for a potential collaboration in the forthcoming assembly elections.
He also noted that the INDIA bloc’s Samajwadi Party and CPI(M) are keen on joining forces with the Congress for the Haryana elections.
He highlighted that while the CPI(M) and Samajwadi Party aim to establish their presence in Haryana, dialogues with AAP are making headway.
According to ANI sources, Rahul Gandhi was reported to have sought the Haryana Congress leaders’ views on a potential AAP alliance during a CEC meeting of the party.
Previously, on August 31, Vinesh Phogat was seen supporting the farmers’ protest at the Shambhu border, which was marking its 200th day in demand of a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Phogat, celebrated for her athletic achievements and advocacy for the farmers’ movement, was honored by the farmers during the proceedings.
“As we hit the 200-day mark of the protest, the farmers’ perseverance is both inspiring and distressing. Our farmers are the backbone of our country, and without their contributions, even athletes like us wouldn’t be able to perform.
Despite our international achievements, it’s disheartening when we can’t support our families in their time of need. I stand with the farmers in their plea to the Government for attention and action,” Phogat conveyed to the farmers.
Following a tumultuous month after reaching the women’s 50kg event final, Phogat faced a setback when she was disqualified for not meeting the weight requirement just before the final against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States, consequently returning without a medal.
In the aftermath, Vinesh announced her decision to retire from wrestling and appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a joint silver medal.