Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are set to join the Congress party today at 1:30 PM at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, in the presence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, according to reports.
There is strong speculation that both wrestlers may contest the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections on Congress tickets.
Reports about Bajrang and Vinesh joining the party come two days after they met with former Congress president and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were among the wrestlers who protested against former BJP MP and then chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of harassing several young junior wrestlers.
Before the poll dates for the Haryana Assembly were announced, there was speculation that Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat might join the Congress party. The recent meeting between the two wrestlers and Rahul Gandhi further fueled these speculations.
According to reports, the Congress party may field Vinesh Phogat from the Charkhi Dadri Assembly seat.
Former Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij took a jab at the Congress over the issue of giving a ticket to Vinesh Phogat, saying, "If she (Vinesh Phogat) wants to go from being the nation's daughter to the Congress' daughter, we have no objection to it."
Congress leader Pawan Kheda had given a statement regarding Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat contesting the elections. Regarding both wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat contesting the Haryana Assembly elections, he said that this decision will be taken by the Congress Screening Committee of Haryana.
Congress party yet to release candidate list
The Central Election Committee of the Congress has approved the names of candidates for 66 out of 90 seats. However, the names have not been announced. According to Congress sources, the list of candidates is going to be released in a day or two. Voting will be held on 90 assembly seats in Haryana on October 5. Whereas the counting of votes will take place on October 8.
