Haryana Assemblly Election : Congress Selects Vinesh Phogat Bajrang Punia Not Running in Polls

In a significant development ahead of Haryana’s upcoming assembly elections, the Congress party has officially announced that wrestler Vinesh Phogat will be their candidate for the Jullana assembly seat. This decision comes shortly after Phogat, along with fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia, joined the Congress party on Friday.

Phogat’s entry into politics was confirmed following her meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence on Rajaji Marg in Delhi. The announcement of her candidacy for Jullana was made soon after. In contrast, Bajrang Punia, who was earlier speculated to contest from the Badli assembly seat, has decided not to run in the elections. Instead, Punia will focus on campaigning and supporting the party.

The Congress election committee held a meeting on Friday, where the decision regarding Phogat’s candidature and the party’s strategy for the Haryana elections was discussed. So far, Congress has finalized candidates for 71 seats. The clarity on Punia's non-participation in the elections came as a surprise, given the earlier discussions about his potential candidacy.

Phogat and Punia’s induction into Congress was marked by a formal ceremony at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters. Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, along with other key party leaders including AICC General Secretary for Haryana Deepak Babaria, Haryana Congress President Uday Bhan, and Media and Publicity Department head Pawan Khera, were present during the event. Venugopal expressed pride in welcoming Phogat and Punia, describing their joining as a significant boost for the party. He also highlighted the support Phogat received from Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

On a related note, there were claims of a notice being issued to Phogat by the Indian Railways after her meeting with Rahul Gandhi, citing a violation of service rules. However, the Indian Railways has denied these claims, stating no such notice was issued.

The Haryana assembly elections are scheduled for next month, and the political landscape is expected to shift with these new developments.