Controversy's child, Vinesh Phogat, the renowned wrestler, has officially entered the political arena today after filing her nomination as the Congress candidate from the Julana Assembly Constituency for the upcoming Haryana elections. In the presence of Congress MP Deepender S Hooda on Thursday, Phogat submitted her papers and expressed her gratitude for the support she has received from the people of Julana.
"It is a matter of good fortune for me that I am entering politics. We are working hard for the welfare of every section. I am grateful for the love the people of Julana are giving me," said the 30-year-old, who recently announced her retirement from wrestling. "Jeet pakki samjho (victory is assured)," she further added emphatically.
Phogat’s political debut follows a tumultuous period in her wrestling career. She was disqualified from the final bout of the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling category at a recent major competition after failing to meet the weigh-in requirement by a mere 100 grams. A day after this disqualification, Phogat announced her retirement, marking the end of a storied career that saw her rise to the top of her sport.
On September 6, Phogat, alongside fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia, joined the Congress party, with Phogat being fielded as the party’s candidate for the Julana constituency in the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.
Her entry into politics, however, has sparked tensions within her own family. Babita Phogat, Vinesh’s cousin and a BJP leader, accused senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda of causing a rift in the Phogat family. Babita, who joined the BJP in 2019, criticized Vinesh’s decision to join Congress, calling it "hasty" and claiming that Hooda had divided their family. "Bhupinder Hooda succeeded in creating a rift in the Phogat family. People will teach him a lesson. The Congress's agenda has been to divide and rule. They have always worked to break families," Babita said in a press conference.
She further added that Vinesh should have sought counsel from her father, Mahavir Phogat, a respected figure in the family and Vinesh’s wrestling mentor. "Mahavir Phogat is Vinesh's guru. She should have obeyed her guru. Guru shows the right path," Babita remarked.
The Haryana Assembly elections will be held on October 5, 2024, with the entire state’s 90 seats up for grabs in a single phase. The deadline for filing nominations is September 12, and the vote counting will take place on October 8, 2024.