New Delhi: Ending days of speculation, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls.
Phogat and Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his 10, Rajaji Marg, residence. They later joined the Congress at the AICC headquarters in the presence of Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal, AICC general secretary in-charge Haryana Deepak Babaria, Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan and the Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera.
At the press conference during which they joined the party, Venugopal claimed that Phogat had been issued a showcase notice by the Railways after she met Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. Party sources said the notice talked about violating service rules by meeting political leaders.
Venugopal asked if it was a crime to meet the leader of the opposition and urged the Railway authorities to relieve Phogat and not “play politics”.
On whether Phogat and Punia would contest the assembly polls, he said the party’s Central Election Committee would make a decision on that.
After joining the party, Phogat said the BJP was supporting Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh while the Congress supported the protesting wrestlers when they “were being dragged on the roads” in Delhi.
Punia and Phogat were part of the protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023.
“I thank the people of the country and the media, you supported me throughout my wrestling journey. I thank the Congress party. Tough times tell you about who is with you. When we were dragged on the roads, all parties except the BJP stood with us,” she said at the press conference.
“I am starting a new innings. I want sportspersons don’t have to face what we had to go through,” Phogat said.
“We will not be scared and won’t back off. Our court case is going on, we will win that also,” she said.
Venugopal said it was a “big day” for the Congress and a proud moment “for all of us” to welcome Phogat and Punia into the party fold.
The entire country stood with them when they protested, he said, citing the support extended by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders.
“They (Phogat and Punia) not only stood for themselves but fought for farmers and stood with them,” Venugopal said.
“Some people are criticising their joining the Congress. So many athletes and Olympians are in different parties, is that also a conspiracy?” Venugopal asked.
Both Phogat and Punia or at least one of them are set to contest the assembly polls on a Congress ticket, the sources said.
Phogat on Friday resigned from the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons.
Both Phogat and Punia met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi here on Wednesday. The Congress had put out a photograph of the Lok Sabha opposition leader with Phogat and Punia on its official X handle.
Punia won bronze in the Olympic Games in Tokyo while Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final, the stage where she was disqualified in Paris after being found overweight by about 100 grams in her 50-kilogramme category weigh-in. She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport.
The Congress and AAP are engaged in seat-sharing talks for the Haryana polls.
Voting on 90 seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the votes counted on October 8.
