Wrestler-turned-politician and Congress candidate for Haryana Assembly polls Vinesh Phogat filed her nomination from the Julana seat on Wednesday and appealed to people for their support so that her party could form a government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s leadership.
The Congress has not declared its chief ministerial candidate for Haryana and has maintained that if it comes to power, the party’s legislators and the high command will take a call on the matter.
Addressing a gathering in Julana after filing her nomination, Vinesh Phogat said, “Give your love and blessings to Congress so that it forms government under Bhupinder Hooda ji’s leadership and the development works that were stalled for the 10 years resumes.”
The Congress’ Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and Sonipat MP Satpal Brahmachari accompanied the Olympic wrestler when she filed her nomination.
During her address, Vinesh Phogat also said, “Satpal Brahmachari sir has said Bhupinder Singh Hooda has to be made chief minister. You will have to work hard for that.”
Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers’ protest last year against then Wrestling Federation of India chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, recently joined the Congress.
Speaking to reporters, Deepender Hooda said Poghat will secure a “big win”. Not just the Julana seat, the Congress is going to secure an absolute majority and form government in Haryana under the leadership of Bhupinder Singh Hooda, he said.
“People have made up their mind that under Hooda Sahab’s leadership, the Congress has to be brought to power and BJP has to be ousted,” he said.
After filing her nomination, Vinesh Phogat said, “It is a matter of great happiness for me… In wrestling, we have learnt that never take your opponent lightly.” The wrestler-turned-politician, whose in-laws belong to Julana, said people of the assembly segment have reposed their faith in her and she will try to live up to their expectations. “They treated me more as a daughter than a daughter-in-law,” she said.
Referring to the wrestlers’ protest, she said they had to struggle on roads and face lathis. Vinesh Phogat thanked Deepender Hooda for extending support to them during that period.
Deepender Hooda said, “Phogat took on the system and the government for our daughters’ respect. It was not an ordinary struggle… that struggle will not just act as an inspiration for players only, but to the entire country.”
The BJP has fielded Yogesh Bairagi, a former commercial pilot, against Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat in the Jat-dominated Julana Assembly segment. Before foraying into politics, Vinesh Phogat (30) retired from wrestling following the shock end to her Paris Olympic campaign. She was the first Indian woman grappler to reach the Olympics final but was disqualified after being found overweight by about 100 grams in her 50-kilogramme category weigh-in.
Voting for the 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
