New Delhi:

Shaking up the political panorama in Haryana weeks forward of the Meeting elections within the state, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have joined the Congress. 

Each Olympians, who had been on the forefront of final yr’s protests in opposition to the alleged sexual assault and intimidation by former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh, had met senior Congress chief and Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.

On Friday, Ms Phogat and Mr Punia, who’re each 30 years previous, met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence earlier than formally becoming a member of the social gathering at its headquarters in New Delhi. 

“Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Met our proficient champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who’ve made India proud on the earth, at 10, Rajaji Marg. We’re pleased with each of you,” Mr Kharge posted in Hindi on X. 

Hours earlier than becoming a member of the Congress, Ms Phogat resigned as an officer on particular responsibility (OSD) with the Northern Railways, citing private causes. 

Posting a photograph of her resignation letter, the wrestler wrote on X: “Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life. At this level in my life, I’ve determined to separate myself from my service within the railways and have submitted my resignation to the competent authorities of the Indian Railways. I’ll all the time be grateful to the Indian Railway household for this chance given to me by the Railways within the service of the nation.

Ms Phogat’s recognition has acquired a lift not too long ago after she missed out on what would have been at the very least a silver medal after being disqualified for exceeding the load restrict by 100 grams forward of the ultimate bout within the 50 kg freestyle wrestling occasion. The grit proven by the wrestler in defeating reigning gold medallist Yui Susaki of Japan and happening to enter the ultimate had earned her plaudits whereas her eventual disqualification had damaged a billion hearts. 

Farmers’ Help

Ms Phogat introduced her retirement from wrestling after the disqualification and all eyes had been on her subsequent steps. Final week, she reached the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border, prolonged her help to farmers staging a protest for a authorized assure for minimal help worth (MSP) for crops and mentioned she stood with them as their daughter. 

“Your agitation completes 200 days immediately. I pray to God that you simply get what you may have come right here for – your proper, for justice…Your daughter stands with you. I additionally urge the federal government… we too are residents of this nation, if we elevate our voices it isn’t political each time…You must hear them…What they’re demanding shouldn’t be illegal,” she had mentioned. 

Increase To Congress

The entry of the wrestlers into the Congress is anticipated to present it a lift as Ms Phogat is seen to get pleasure from help amongst farmers, who make up a major voting bloc in Haryana. The Congress is hoping that the farmers’ anger in opposition to the BJP will assist it dislodge the social gathering from a state it has dominated since 2014. 

The Congress will even hope that Mr Punia and Ms Phogat becoming a member of the social gathering will give it an higher hand in its negotiations with INDIA ally AAP in seat-sharing for the 90 constituencies within the state. Whereas an in-principle settlement relating to an alliance had been introduced on Wednesday, there seems to be a stalemate between the 2 events with the AAP looking for 10 seats and the Congress keen to surrender solely 5 to seven. 

Upbeat after successful 5 out of the ten Lok Sabha seats in Haryana this yr after the BJP’s clear sweep in 2019, the state unit of the Congress was reluctant to half with any Meeting constituencies however the push for a tie-up has reportedly come from Rahul Gandhi, who has maintained that it’ll guarantee there is no such thing as a division of votes and provides the social gathering its very best likelihood to defeat the BJP. 

Variations inside the Congress have reportedly delayed its first checklist of candidates and the BJP has been going through pushback and a insurrection because it did so on Wednesday. Vitality Minister Ranjit Chautala and MLA Lakshman Napa have give up the social gathering and whereas Mr Chautala has mentioned he’ll contest as an Unbiased, Mr Napa has introduced that he can be becoming a member of the Congress.

Mr Chautala is the son of Chaudhary Devi Lal Chaudhary, considered one of Haryana’s tallest leaders, who served as chief minister twice and was additionally a deputy prime minister.
 





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