Randeep Surjewala on Vinesh Phogat joining Congress

Kaithal (Haryana) [India]September 8 (ANI): Days after wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress, party MP Randeep Singh Surjewala praised LoP Rahul Gandhi for showing respect to the country's sportspersons.

“Vinesh Phogat has been given a ticket by the Congress. Rahul Gandhi has respected the country's sportspeople and has become a partner in the fight for justice,” Surjewala said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Vinesh launched her election campaign in Jind region of Haryana state on Sunday.

On Friday, Phogat and wrestler Bajrang Punia joined the Congress, just a month ahead of the Haryana assembly elections.

A few hours after joining the party, Phogat was nominated as the party's candidate for Julana constituency, while Punia was appointed as the acting president of the All India Kisan Congress.

Punia won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, while Vinesh Phogat became the first female wrestler to reach the Olympic final in Paris last month. The two wrestlers had resigned from their respective posts at Northern Railways on the same day.

On Saturday, Phogat met former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and said that her new path was not just politics but a fight for service and justice on a new platform.

Vinesh expressed her joy at meeting the Congress leader and narrated her experiences during the protests related to a sexual harassment case against former MP and WFI chairman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“Yesterday I was fortunate to meet former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Hooda ji, Lok Sabha MP and my elder brother Deepender Hooda ji at his residence in Delhi. Hooda Sahab's sports policies made Haryana a leading sports country. During his tenure, players got jobs like DSP and cash prizes which made the youth enthusiastic about sports and inspired them to win medals at the international level,” Vinesh posted on X.

“I cannot forget the day when we were dragged through the streets of Delhi even today. During that difficult time, our elder brother Deepender Hooda ji not only stood by us and encouraged us but also raised his voice strongly against the injustice being done to the daughters of the country. This new journey for me is not just politics but a fight for service and justice on a new platform,” she added.

Elections for the 90-member Haryana Legislative Assembly will be held on October 5 and the last date for filing nominations is September 12. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. (ANI)