The meeting has intensified rumours that the Congress may field Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia in the Haryana Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on 5 October.
Bajrang Punia (Left), and Vinesh Phogat (Right) with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. (Photo: X/INCIndia)
Amid speculations about her potential electoral debut, ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat met with Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in Delhi on Wednesday. Accompanying her during this high-profile meeting was fellow Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia.
The meeting has intensified rumours that the Congress may field Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia in the Haryana Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on 5 October.
Phogat, however, remains tight-lipped about her political aspirations. Recently, when asked about the possibility of contesting on a Congress ticket, she responded, “I am an athlete; I belong to the entire country. I have nothing to do with which state is going to the polls.”
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Reports suggest that Congress has extended offers to both Phogat and Punia to contest in their home state of Haryana.
Punia is reportedly being considered for a ticket from Jhajjar, while Phogat has been given options to contest from either Dadri or Badhra Assembly constituencies.
Congress had previously offered Bajrang Punia a ticket in last year’s Rajasthan Assembly elections, which he had declined.
Both Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, were part of the large-scale protests against BJP strongman and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The ex-BJP MP has faced serious allegations of sexually harassing multiple female wrestlers during his tenure as WFI head.
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