Vinesh, Bajrang meet Rahul amid speculation over contesting polls

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi here on Wednesday amid speculation that the duo could be joining the party in the Haryana assembly polls.

Vinesh and Bajrang were at the forefront of the agitation over sexual exploitation charges demanding removal of the then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan in 2023.

Rahul Gandhi met them today morning before heading to Kashmir for the assembly election campaign there.

The meeting comes at a time when the Congress is in the middle of selecting candidates for the Haryana assembly polls on October 5. The party’s central election committee has cleared the names of candidates for 66 seats out of 90 till Tuesday.

Both Vinesh and Bajrang are said to be contenders for the Congress ticket. AICC general secretary in-charge Haryana Deepak Babaria said that there will be clarity on it in one or two days whether Vinesh or Bajrang, members of the female and male wrestling teams of India respectively, would get the party ticket.

Vinesh may contest from Julana (Jind) or Badhra seat (Charkhi Dadri).

Bajrang reportedly wants to contest from Badli seat in Jhajjar district even though the sitting MLA from the constituency is from the Congress.