Haryana Assembly Elections: Congress' 1st list of candidates out; Vinesh Phogat to contest from Julana
Haryana Assembly Elections: Congress released its first list of 31 candidates for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. The party has fielded wrestler Vinesh Phogat from Julana constituency.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will run for the Garhi Sampla-Kiloi seat, while sitting MLA Mamman Khan has been fielded again for the Ferozepur Jhirka assembly constituency, and state unit chief Udai Bhan for Hodal. Mewa Singh will contest against Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in Ladwa.
Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who led the wrestlers' protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year, joined Congress on Friday, marking their political debut. Punia was named the All India Kisan Congress' working chairman just hours after joining the party.
Phogat’s entry into the Congress party is expected to give a significant boost to the party in Haryana, especially with her strong support base among farmers, who represent a crucial voting bloc in the state. With growing farmer discontent towards the ruling BJP, Congress hopes this will help it challenge the BJP, which has governed Haryana since 2014.
Additionally, both Phogat and fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia joining Congress could strengthen the party’s position in negotiations with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an ally within the opposition alliance, INDIA. While both parties have agreed to form an alliance for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, a stalemate persists over seat-sharing. AAP is demanding 10 seats out of the 90 available, but Congress is willing to concede only five to seven. The influence of Punia and Phogat could give Congress leverage in these talks.
- PTC NEWS
