Haryana Assembly Elections: People made us win in wrestling, now they will make us win in Haryana elections: Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat

JIND: Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat on Tuesday expressed confidence that the people of Julana will support her in the Haryana state assembly elections and that with their blessings, she will emerge victorious in the upcoming elections. “These people have made us win in wrestling and they will make us win (in the Haryana elections). We could never do anything without God and the elders, even today I am nothing without them. I will continue only with their blessings… I am confident that they will support what is right, as they have always done,” Phogat said.

Earlier today, Dronacharya Award winner and wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat said he was “saddened” by the Olympic wrestler and Congress candidate from Julana’s decision to enter politics, adding that she could have taken the same decision after the 2028 Olympics.

“She performed very well in the Paris Olympics but was disqualified in the final. I personally feel that she should participate in the 2028 Olympics. A gold medal is my dream; she didn’t get it but people of India gave her immense love and they expected a gold medal from her. People were disheartened… The decision she has taken, I am sad that she has entered politics. But she could have taken this decision after the 2028 Olympics, that would have been better,” Mahavir Singh Phogat told ANI.

He further said that Vinesh Phogat had no plans to enter politics and contest the elections.

“There was no such plan (of Vinesh Phogat joining politics and contesting elections) earlier. Neither Bajrang nor they had this idea. I don’t know how Congress did it, but they had no intention of contesting elections earlier,” he said. Earlier today, Vinesh Phogat inaugurated the party’s election office in Haryana’s Julana and performed the havan. On September 6, Olympic wrestler Vinesh joined the Congress, giving the party a big boost.

Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling shortly after she was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after being found to be about 100 grams overweight in her 50 kg category.

Voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will take place on October 5 and the last date for filing nominations is September 12. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.

In the 2019 state assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 40 seats, while the Congress won 30.