Phogat, Punia meet Rahul, may contest on Congress ticket

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia today met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi fuelling speculation about their joining the Congress to contest in the Assembly elections next month. Phogat (30) is likely to contest the Assembly elections from the Julana seat in Jind district, which is at present represented by Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLA Amarjeet Dhanda. Punia (30) is eyeing the Badli seat in Jhajjar district, which is represented by Congress MLA Kuldeep Vats.

After meeting Rahul Gandhi, the two athletes met KC Venugopal, Congress general secretary (organisation). The Congress has so far finalised candidates for 66 of the 90 seats. The party is also in talks with the Aam Admi Party (AAP) on seat sharing in Haryana. The two wrestlers will strengthen the Congress’ bargaining power with AAP on seat sharing.

Phogat and Punia were the faces of the agitation by professional wrestlers last year for the removal the then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan, on the charge of sexual exploitation. The Congress had supported the agitation and Haryana leaders such as Deepender Hooda and Randeep Singh Surjewala and national party leader Priyanka Gandhi visited the protest site several times.

Phogat’s rapport with Haryana farmers, who continue to nurse a grudge against the BJP on issues like the legal guarantee for MSP, is also expected to benefit the Congress in the elections. Last week, she visited protesting farmers at the Shambhu border.