Olympic Wrestler Vinesh Phogat Gets Elected From Julana, Haryana

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OCTOBER 08,2024

Vinesh Phogat, the renowned Olympic wrestler, has marked her entry into the political arena by securing a significant victory in the Haryana Assembly elections. Running as a Congress candidate, Phogat won the Julana seat in her debut election, defeating two prominent opponents. Her victory, marked by a considerable margin, has brought her into the spotlight once again, but this time for her political achievements.

Vinesh Phogat Wins Big in Her Political Debut

Vinesh Phogat, a three-time Olympian, contested the Haryana Assembly election from the Julana constituency. In her first election, she successfully secured a win, defeating BJP's Captain Yogesh Bairagi by over 6,015 votes. Bairagi, a former Army officer, had been a strong contender, but Phogat emerged victorious.

Her win was not limited to a single opponent. Phogat also triumphed over Kavita Dalal, a former professional wrestler running for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), again by a margin of more than 6,000 votes. Dalal's background in wrestling added a unique twist to the competition, making this race a battle between two athletes turned politicians. Commenting on her win, Phogat expressed her gratitude and determination, saying, "Truth has won."

In addition to these two candidates, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidate, Surender Lather, came third in this high-profile race in Jind district. The election in Haryana took place in a single phase on October 5, with the state recording a voter turnout of 67.90 per cent. Julana itself saw a higher turnout of 74.66 per cent, reflecting the strong local interest in the election.

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Vinesh Phogat's Journey and Challenges

At 30, Vinesh Phogat has already made a name for herself as a three-time Olympian. She joined the Congress on September 6, bringing her fighting spirit from the wrestling mat into politics. Her political journey began after leading high-profile protests last year against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh.

Phogat's wrestling career took a sudden turn this year when she was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics due to being overweight ahead of the final in the women's 50 kg wrestling event. The disqualification came as a shock, especially considering it could have been a historic moment for her career. Hours after this disqualification, she was added to the Congress party's candidate list, marking the beginning of her political 'new innings.' Phogat shared, 'I am starting a new innings. I want sportspersons don't have to face what we had to go through.'