Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress ahead of Haryana elections

Olympian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined the Congress on Friday ahead of the Haryana assembly election.

The development came hours after Vinesh Phogat resigned from the Indian Railways, citing personal reasons.

Two ace wrestlers met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders at his 10 Rajaji Marg earlier on Friday. On September 4, they also met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Bajrang Punia is a Tokyo Games bronze medallist, while Vinesh Phogat became the first woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final.

 She was, however, disqualified after being found overweight by about 100 gm in her 50-kg category weigh-in. She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport.

Punia and Phogat were also part of the protest by wrestlers over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year.

Voting on 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and counting of votes will be undertaken on October 8.

The Congress and AAP are engaged in seat-sharing talks for the Haryana Assembly polls with hard bargaining from both sides.

The two high-profile additions are expected to boost Congress' negotiating power, especially since some Haryana Congress leaders have doubts about teaming up with the AAP.