Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress

New Delhi: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Haryana assembly polls, with the party saying its Central Election Committee would decide if they would contest the elections.

Phogat and Punia joined the party in the presence of Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, spokesperson Pawan Khera and Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan. The two had earlier met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

Speaking after their joining, Phogat said she did not want any other sportsperson to go through what she went through. "I want to thank the Congress party... It is said that you realise who is with you during difficult times. When we were being dragged on roads, all parties except the BJP stood with us," she said.

"The pain that we have gone through, we stand with all women who have experienced pain," she added.

Punia and Phogat were part of the protest over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023.

"I could have quit wrestling at Jantar Mantar because the BJP's IT cell was publicising that we were spent forces. They said I did not want to play in the nationals but I did; they said I did not want to do trials, I did that... They said I could not go to the Olympics but I did... Unfortunately, it was not god's will," she said.

"I have been given an opportunity to serve the people of my country, this is a new inning. What we faced as a sportsperson, I would not want any other sportsperson to go through that," she said.

Asked if they would be contesting the assembly elections in Haryana, the Congress said its Central Election Committee would take a decision on that.

The Congress and AAP are engaged in seat-sharing talks for the Haryana polls.

Voting on 90 seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the votes counted on October 8.

Phogat on Friday resigned from the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons. She was employed as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) with Northern Railways.

"Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life," she posted on X with a picture of her resignation letter.

"I will always be grateful to the Indian Railway family for this opportunity given to me by the Railways in the service of the nation," she added.

The 30-year-old had quit wrestling following her disqualification from the 50kg gold medal match in the Paris Olympics for being overweight by 100 grams ahead of the final.

She had appealed against the decision which was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In her resignation letter, Vinesh cited personal reasons for resigning.

"It is requested that I, Vinesh, w/o Sh. Somvir Rathi at present is working as OSD/Sports Northern - Railway in Level - 7," Vinesh wrote in her resignation letter addressed to the general manager Northern Railways.

"Sir, keeping in view of my family circumstances/personal reasons, I am unable to perform my duties as OSD/sports. Therefore without any pressure, I wish to tender my resignation," she said.

Vinesh requested for her resignation to be accepted with immediate effect. "It is kindly requested that my resignation with immediate effect may be accepted from Northern Railway. One month salary will be deposited in lieu of my one month notice period," she added.

Inputs from PTI