Vinesh, Bajrang and the lure of politics
Amid growing speculation over celebrated wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia entering politics, it is instructive to note that in India, sports and politics are deeply interlinked. This is evidenced by influential politicians, their relatives or aides dominating sports federations, most glaringly the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the increasing number of sportspersons opting for public life after ending their sports careers.
Prominent in the galaxy of sportspersons-turned-politicians are cricketers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Gautam Gambhir, Mohammad Azharuddin, Kirti Azad; hockey player Sandeep Singh, para-athlete Devendra Jhajharia; shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Karni Singh; wrestlers Babita Phogat and Yogeshwar Dutt; footballers Kalyan Chaubey and Prasun Banerjee; and boxer Vijender Singh.
Vinesh and Bajrang, if they choose to jump into the electoral fray, will neither be the first nor the last sportspersons to opt for politics as a second career. However, whether they are successful depends upon factors other than their success as sportspersons.
While representing the nation in sports gives a sportsperson the added advantage of public prominence and instant recognition, an advantage that filmstars also enjoy, all sportspersons who have joined politics have not found success in it.
The case for Vinesh and Bajrang
If the Wednesday meeting between Vinesh and Bajrang with Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi leads to their contesting the forthcoming Haryana Assembly polls, it would surprise no one.
If the Congress does field them, the image of Vinesh and Bajrang being crusaders for justice could prove advantageous for the party — after all, they were at the forefront of last year’s agitation by wrestlers, mostly from Haryana, against former Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations that he sexually harassed female wrestlers.
Also, there has been an upsurge of public sympathy for Vinesh after she missed out on a medal at the recent Paris Olympics.
However, there may be a downside as well.
The Sarvkhap Panchayat in Rohtak had honoured Vinesh with a “gold medal” after the wrestler returned to India following her disqualification before the 50 kg women’s final in Paris. In other words, while she may enjoy immense popularity in the Jat-dominated areas, BJP leaders in the non-Jat-dominated regions can cite her candidature as evidence that the Congress was behind the protests against Singh, as has been alleged.
Win some, lose some
Sportspersons may enjoy ready recognition and public attention, but there have been times when they were not successful in pulling in the votes.
In the 2019 Haryana Assembly elections, while Sandeep Singh of the BJP did succeed in Pehowa, the pocket borough of the Congress and INLD, 2012 London Olympics medallist Yogeshwar Dutt lost to Krishan Hooda of the Congress in Baroda. After the death of Krishan Hooda, the BJP fielded him again in the 2020 bypoll, but the wrestler lost again, this time to the Congress’ Induraj Narwal.
Also in 2019, Vinesh’s cousin Babita Kumari, also an Olympian wrestler, had lost to Congress rebel Somvir Sangwan in Dadri.