Vinesh Phogat should have joined BJP, uncle Mahavir opposes her Congress entry

Mahavir Phogat--uncle and coach of the celebrated wrestler Vinesh Phogat who joined the Congress and hours after got a ticket from Julana--said that he was averse to her decision to join politics.

Vinesh along with Olympic medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia joined the Congress in Delhi.

Talking to The Tribune after Vinesh joined the Congress in Delhi, Phogat – father of Dangal fame girls and wrestlers Geeta and Babita, said that he had suggested that she continue her career in wrestling.

“I have urged her to keep up wrestling and to aim for the Olympics four years later. It is their own decision to join politics."

He said she has enough wrestling left in her and should have continued to be in the game. “I don’t like her to be in politics at this stage of her career,” he said, adding that he was not consulted by Vinesh before taking this decision.

Phogat said he was not involved in politics and would not campaign for her in elections if she contests the election. Maintaining that he was opposed to the Congress, he even added that Vinesh should have joined BJP instead of Congress if she was interested in politics. Notably, Phogat’s younger daughter Babita Phogat is a member of the BJP and had contested the last Assembly election from Dadri assembly segment but lost.