Haryana elections: Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia meet Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi met wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, hinting they might contest on Congress tickets as the party seeks to boost its chances against the BJP

Ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday, fuelling speculation that they might contest the polls on Congress tickets.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Congress party shared an image from the meeting, a development that comes just days before the party is likely to finalise its list of candidates for the 90-member Assembly.

By potentially including Phogat and Punia, the Congress aims to strengthen its position in Haryana as it seeks to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is facing anti-incumbency challenges after a decade in power.

The Congress is also in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), hoping to secure an alliance to prevent the division of votes in the elections, scheduled for October 5. AAP Haryana state president Sushil Gupta said on Wednesday that talks over a seat-sharing deal with the Congress are underway.

How can Punia and Phogat boost Congress’ chances?

Notably, Phogat and Punia’s induction into the Congress could dent the BJP’s prospects in some key regions. During the Lok Sabha elections concluded in June, the BJP faced a setback by losing five of the 10 seats to the Congress. The loss was attributed to issues such as the BJP’s approach towards the farmers’ movement against the now-repealed farm laws, the party’s weak connection with the Jat community, and the jobs crisis, among others.

Phogat was in the news recently after her abrupt disqualification from the Paris Olympics, which led to renewed nationwide support for the wrestler. This gains prominence in light of the protests organised by Phogat and Punia against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year, which stirred a huge political row.

Additionally, Phogat visited Shambhu village in Punjab last week, where farmers have been protesting for over 200 days. The farmers’ groups had supported the wrestlers during last year’s protests, which could potentially help the Congress in strengthening its voter base.

Punia has also publicly extended his support for the farmers and appeared at some of their rallies.