In her debut electoral contest, Vinesh Phogat, a celebrated wrestler-turned-politician, has secured a decisive victory for the Indian National Congress in the Julana assembly constituency of Haryana. Phogat garnered approximately 65,080 votes, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Captain Yogesh Kumar by a margin of over 6,000 votes. This win marks a significant turnaround for Congress, which had faced defeat in Julana for the last three assembly elections and had only won the seat four times since 1967.
Phogat's victory also saw her outpace the incumbent MLA, Amarjeet Dhanda, a Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader. The results of the Haryana Assembly elections were officially announced on Tuesday, October 8.
Phogat, who transitioned into politics after her wrestling career, had been disqualified from competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal match due to weight category issues. Many speculated that she had been “deliberately defeated” in the competition, while Phogat herself alleged that the Union government had failed to provide her with adequate support.
In the aftermath of her disqualification, Phogat filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), seeking to share the silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylys Guzmán Lopez, whom she had defeated in the semi-finals. Four pro bono lawyers in Paris submitted the protest appeal on her behalf. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) also sought more time to appoint legal representation. However, despite days of deliberation, the CAS ultimately dismissed the appeal.
On September 6, shortly after her sporting career came to an end, Phogat, along with fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia, formally joined the Congress party. Reflecting on her decision, she remarked that she had not retired from wrestling during the Jantar Mantar protests in order to inspire young girls and women. “The whole country thought I would retire during the protests because the BJP IT cell tried to paint us as troublemakers, as though we were finished and only playing politics,” Phogat stated.
Vinesh and Punia were at the forefront of protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP, who faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment. The protests, which took place at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi last year, were met with significant police aggression.
During the protests, Phogat had publicly accused Singh of subjecting her to severe mental harassment, to the point where she struggled with suicidal thoughts. Despite these personal battles, she persisted, even as the Indian Olympic Association president and former athlete PT Usha accused the wrestlers of “tarnishing India’s image” during the protests.
In a candid reflection on her retirement, Phogat shared, “Many urged me not to retire, but I had to ask myself – for what purpose should I continue wrestling? There is politics everywhere. Now, I want to do politics that can bring real change, to fight for the future of our children and stand by them when it matters.”
Comments
Ananth Kumar uncultured, absolutely unfit as a politician.
This man is the worst crazy type of person as peoples rep.
You can imagine if a MP is behaving like this, what could be the credentials of his party and those who elected him.
He is so stupid, he does not have brain to think, that
To follow any religion, is required who is his father or mother.
Our constitution fully empowers every citizen to follow the religion of their choice, propagate it
also.
No religion refuses anyone from following their choice of religion.
Is Rajeev Gandhi Muslim.
This so called MP does not know also, Rajeev Gandhi’s father Firoz Gandhi was a Farsi man.
I hope Rajeev Gandhi is Muslim, but we know he is not.
Becoming Muslim is it sin. Muslim means person who submits to the will of his creator the God.
I can prove that Hege’s ancestor Father was Muslim. Our first father Adam was Muslim, biologically all were Muslims. Again Muslim means person who obeys or submits to his creator.
But later as they grow, they inherited their parents or chose to remain their parents religion.
Is it sin. This is what requ
This man is the worst crazy type of person as peoples rep.
You can imagine if a MP is behaving like this, what could be the credentials of his party and those who elected him.
He is so stupid, he does not have brain to think, that
To follow any religion, is required who is his father or mother.
Our constitution fully empowers every citizen to follow the religion of their choice, propagate it
also.
No religion refuses anyone from following their choice of religion.
Is Rajeev Gandhi Muslim.
This so called MP does not know also, Rajeev Gandhi’s father Firoz Gandhi was a Farsi man.
I hope Rajeev Gandhi is Muslim, but we know he is not.
Becoming Muslim is it sin. Muslim means person who submits to the will of his creator the God.
I can prove that Hege’s ancestor Father was Muslim. Our first father Adam was Muslim, biologically all were Muslims. Again Muslim means person who obeys or submits to his creator.
But later as they grow, they inherited their parents or chose to remain their parents religion.
Is it sin. This is what required a person to be loyal to his creator and obey his creator.
May God give wisdom to this man and save his followers.
ired a person to be loyal to his creator and obey his creator.
May God give wisdom to this man and save his followers.
This person is mentally sick and does not know about parents of Rahul Gandhi. He thinks everyone like him who has no trace of his own parents. This Gowda has no trace from where he came. He should be kicked out to andaman to live with monkeys, apes etc.
this man have more more hatrate to mulsim community..
after 2019 they will make you to count your sin did in past..
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