Ending days of speculation, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia finally joined Congress on September 6, giving the party a major boost ahead of upcoming Haryana polls on October 5.
Hours after their joining, Congress released its first list of 31 candidates in which Vinesh was confirmed as party’s official candidate from her in-laws’ home town Julana in Jind district. Bajrang on the other hand was given an important job as working chairman of All India Kisan Congress.
If poll analysts are to be believed, the move is likely to help Congress harp on the anti-incumbency sentiments brewing for some time against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.
The farmer protests, resentment against Agniveer scheme and the wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on sexual harassment charges were some of the key issues that helped Congress regain political strength in the state after losing back-to-back polls in Haryana to BJP since 2014.
Taking both Vinesh and Bajrang on board – both of them were the face of the wrestlers’ protest last year and even lent their support to the protests by farmers – Congress has played well to catch voters’ imagination ahead of crucial state polls.
Political analyst Kushal Pal told The Wire that Congress had actively lent support to farmers and wrestlers during their protest against the BJP government. This greatly benefited the party when it unexpectedly won half of parliamentary seats in Haryana in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
“As Congress wants to carry forward the same momentum in coming assembly polls, taking on board these wrestlers, who also present the regional pride, is certainly a timely and smart political move for the party in run up to the state polls,” he added
As per media reports, BJP and its eco system have already begun smearing last year’s wrestlers protest as a hidden political agenda of Congress, which, according to the saffron party, stands exposed following Vinesh and Bajrang’s joining.
On the contrary, Congress has revived a plethora of allegations against the BJP on women’s safety and mistreatment of wrestlers during their several month-long protest against the mighty Brij Bhushan.
In her opening remarks after joining Congress, Vinesh Phogat said that when the entire ecosystem of the BJP was against their protest, Congress gave them unconditional support.
Political analyst Pal told The Wire that Congress hopes that with Vinesh and Bajrang on their side, they have a stronger narrative against the BJP in this upcoming election.
“But we will have to wait for the final outcome to know which side finally prevailed over the other,” he added
Vinesh’s popularity and caste dynamics
Congress, said political observers, also eyes to capitalise on the popularity of these wrestlers – especially Vinesh Phogat, who really caught nation’s attention after she missed her Olympics medal by a whisker.
She faced last minute disqualification in her final bout during recently concluded Paris Olympics after she was found 100 gram overweight, termed by many as unjustified.
The incident triggered a wave of sympathy for her across the country with the majority praising her for her grit and determination. She was given a heroic welcome as she landed in Delhi after the Paris Olympics ended.
Her growing popularity especially among youth may help Congress electorally, said poll observers. Days before joining Congress, Vinesh also joined protesting farmers at Punjab-Haryana border at Shambhu and supported their demand for legalising Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, a move which is seen as her effort to reach out to larger sections of the society.
Apart from all these factors, Congress also eyes on consolidating the decisive Jat vote bank in the state through these wrestlers as they come from the same community, said poll observers.
Several Jat dominated Khap panchayats in Haryana were quite vocal against the BJP when these wrestlers were protesting against Brij Bhushan. On returning from Paris, various khaps too honoured Vinesh for her efforts.
