Deepak Babaria, the Congress’ Haryana in-charge, said the party would ‘welcome’ Vinesh Phogat if she decides to contest the upcoming Haryana assembly polls.
Senior Congress leader Deepak Babaria, its Haryana in-charge, on Wednesday asserted that the party would ‘certainly accommodate’ ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat if she decides to fight the October 1 assembly polls in her home state.
File image of wrestler Vinesh Phogat at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris. (PTI)
Babaria’s statement comes amid reports that Vinesh could make her electoral debut against cousin and fellow wrestler, Babita Phogat of the BJP.
“I don’t know if she (Vinesh) has been approached by any of our leaders but if she wants to contest, we will welcome her and we will certainly accommodate her,” Babaria was quoted as saying by ANI.
Recently, senior Congressman and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, called for a Rajya Sabha nomination for the 29-year-old; the demand was backed by his son and Rohtak MP, Deepender Singh Hooda.
That call came after Phogat, in an unfortunate turn of events, was disqualified ahead of her gold medal bout at the recently concluded Olympic Games in Paris. Assured of at least a silver, which would have been the first Olympic medal for Vinesh in her third Games and the best performance by a female Indian wrestler at an Olympic Games, she was found overweight by a mere 100 grams in her 50 kg category.
Phogat then approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the disqualification, and sought a co-silver as well. The CAS, however, stuck to rules and dismissed her appeal.
On returning to India, the Haryana native received a grand welcome at the Delhi airport. Deepender Hooda, the Congress party’s Rohtak MP, was among those who welcomed her at the IGI Airport in the national capital.
News / India News / ‘We will certainly accommodate Vinesh Phogat’: Congress leader Deepak Babaria
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
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