Vinesh Phogat begins poll campaign as Congress candidate from ...

Vinesh Phogat, the ace wrestler and Congress candidate from the Julana constituency for the upcoming Haryana Assembly election, began her poll campaign on Sunday. Hundreds of party workers welcomed her as she arrived for the campaign.

The 30-year-old Olympic wrestler will address a gathering as seven khap panchayats, including the Rathi community's, are set to welcome her.

The Julana seat, situated in the Jat-dominated Bangar region of Haryana, has long been controlled by parties like the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which have held the seat for the past 15 years. Parminder Singh of the INLD won the seat in 2009 and 2014, while Amarjeet Dhanda of the JJP claimed it in 2019.

Vinesh’s entry into Congress as a sports star and Jat representative has made Julana a high-stakes seat.

Speaking with India Today, Vinesh’s father-in-law, Rajpal Rathi, said that the Chugama khap, representing six villages--Gharwali, Khera Bakhta, Jamola, Karela, Jayjaywanti, and Gherti--along with the Rathi community khap, will be present to welcome her.

Phogat, along with wrestler Bajrang Punia, joined Congress on Friday and was named in the first list of candidates released by the party. The wrestler, who was at the forefront of the protest against then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, made the political entry vowing to "not being scared or backing off".

Calling it the beginning of a "new innings", Phogat said they would be among the people and ensure their welfare and added Congress was standing with women whenever they faced any problem.