Vinesh Phogat & Bajrang Punia join Congress, enter Haryana's political 'dangal'

Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia with Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Friday-ANI

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on September 6, putting an end to days of speculation. The two Olympians, who quit Indian Railways before joining the party, are expected to contest the elections for the 90-member Haryana assembly, which are to be held on October 5.

On joining Congress, Phogat said, "I thank Congress party...Kehte hain na ki bure time mein pata lagta hai ki apna kaun hai...When we were being dragged on the road, all parties except BJP were with us. I feel proud that I have joined a party which stands with women and is ready to fight from 'sadak to sansad'..."

Bajrang stated that Congress “stood by us in bad times”. “We will put the same effort in politics for Congress as we put in wrestling,” hesaid.

They joined the Congress in the presence of party's general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria.

#WATCH | Delhi | Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat join the Congress party in the presence of party general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria. pic.twitter.com/LLpAG09Bw5
ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024

Phogat, who missed out on the gold medal bout in the recently concluded Paris Olympics for being overweight, and Punia, who won a bronze in the 2020 Tokyo games, led the protest for a probe against alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers by former Wrestling Federation of India chairman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.