Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli reacts as Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress ahead of 2024 assembly polls

Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress on Friday (file photo)

New Delhi:

Responding to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia’s decision to join the Congress, Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli said that players are the pride of our country and the party does not play politics on them.

“The players are the pride of our country, we are not doing politics with them. They will work as Congress members after joining the country,” the Haryana BJP president told news agency ANI on Friday.

#WATCH | Delhi: Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli said, “…We will soon announce the next list for Haryana Assembly elections…”

On Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joining the Congress, Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli said, “Players are the pride of our country, we… pic.twitter.com/wOoBvYN5I7

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024

In a big boost ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, Olympic wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress on Friday.

Hours after joining the party, Bajrang Punia was appointed as the working president of the All India Kisan Congress, while Vinesh Phogat was announced as the candidate from Julana Assembly constituency.

Mr Punia and Ms Phogat joined the Congress in the presence of Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, party chief Pawan Khera, Udai Bhan and AICC Haryana in-charge Deepak Babaria.

Vinesh Phogat recalled the fight of women wrestlers against the sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. “The fight is still going on, it is not over yet. It is in the court. We will win this fight too… With the new platform we are getting today, we will work for the service of the nation,” she said.

The two well-known wrestlers joined the Congress almost a month before the Haryana Assembly elections.

Mr Punia won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, while Vinesh Phogat became the first female wrestler to reach the final of the Olympics.

Ms Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling shortly after she was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after being found to be about 100 grams overweight at the weigh-in in her 50kg category ahead of the gold medal match.

Voting for the 90-member Haryana legislative assembly will be held on October 5, with the last date for filing nominations being September 12. The votes will be counted on October 8.