Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia To Contest Haryana Polls As Congress Candidates

New Delhi: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress Wednesday afternoon and will contest next month’s Haryana Assembly election. Ms Phogat is expected to challenge for the Julana seat held by the Jannayak Janta Party’s Amarjeet Dhanda. Mr Punia’s likely seat is unclear.

The two met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today, after which news of their debut was confirmed.

Ms Phogat and Mr Punia made headlines last year after leading protests against former wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who faces charges of sexual assault and intimidation. He was also a BJP MP at the time but was denied a ticket to defend Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat.

The BJP, instead, fielded his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, who won the seat.