Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on Friday afternoon, ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections.

Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and the party's media and publicity chairman Pawan Khera welcomed them into the party.

Phogat is likely to contest the October 5 assembly election in Haryana. Punia is likely to be given a post in the campaign committee.

The two had recently met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Punia and Phogat were among the wrestlers who protested against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the then chief of Wrestling Federation of India, who they had accused of harassing young women wrestlers.

After the two wrestlers met Gandhi, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was quoted as having said, "I think our athletes got trapped in a political maze during the protests. What started back then is reaching its climax now. The wrestlers' protests were politically motivated. These people (wrestlers) are seeking a ticket from the Congress. This means that there is a nexus. If it wasn't clear then, it is absolutely clear now."

The Congress is hoping that the entry of the two into the party will boost its prospects among Jat voters.

Last month, when Phogat missed out on an Olympic medal due to disqualification on account of excess weight, Bhupinder Hooda had proposed offering her a Rajya Sabha seat.