Amid speculation that they are likely to contest the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections for the Congress, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The Congress social media account on X posted a photo of the meeting on Wednesday morning. A source said that the two wrestlers are also likely to meet K C Venugopal, Congress general secretary in charge of organisation. “An announcement on their candidature is likely soon,” the source added. Ever since Phogat returned to India from the Paris Olympics, she has been seen with Congress leaders. Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda was the first political leader to reach IGI Airport in Delhi to welcome her with a ‘Hanuman Gada’, a symbol of victory. Deepender had supported the agitation by Phogat and other wrestlers, mostly from Haryana, against the then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. Phogat had also met former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who had said that the Congress welcomes everyone who wants to join the party. Phogat and Punia were among the most prominent faces of the 2023 protests against former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. After the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Monday in Delhi, AICC in-charge for Haryana Deepak Babaria had said that it will soon become clear if Phogat is contesting the Haryana Assembly elections. Congress leaders said that the party has discussed the prospect of the two contesting the polls and that the conversation is still ongoing. “There are some aspects that need to be ironed out. The talks are happening and everyone will soon know if the two will contest elections or not,” a Congress leader said on Wednesday. The Haryana Assembly elections will be held on October 5.
