Congress Breaks 19 Years Of Exile After Vinesh Phogat Wins Julana

Congress leader and ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat made a victorious debut in electoral politics, winning the Julana assembly seat in Haryana by a margin of over 6,000 votes. Phogat, who ran on a Congress ticket, defeated BJP’s Yogesh Kumar in what was a high-stakes contest for the traditionally male-dominated constituency.

Julana recorded an impressive voter turnout of 74.66% in the 2024 elections, significantly higher than Haryana’s overall turnout of 67.9%. This marked the first time in 19 years that the Congress secured the Julana seat, with their last victory dating back to 2005. Phogat’s win is particularly historic, as Julana, located in Haryana’s Jind district, had never before elected a woman MLA, nor had a female runner-up in previous elections.

Congratulatory messages poured in, including one from fellow wrestler and Congress leader Bajrang Punia. In a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), Punia wrote, “Many congratulations to Vinesh Phogat, the daughter of the country, for her win. This battle was not just for the Julana seat but a fight against some of the most oppressive forces in the country. And Vinesh emerged victorious.”

Phogat’s foray into politics comes on the heels of her prominent role in the protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh, whom she and other female wrestlers accused of sexual harassment. Supported by the Congress, particularly Rahul Gandhi, during her protests, Phogat transitioned into politics after announcing her retirement from wrestling.

Her political entry garnered attention well before the elections, especially after her performance at the Paris Olympics, where she was disqualified from her final bout after failing to make weight. This abrupt end to her Olympic journey had many hoping for a historic medal win. However, after returning to India, Phogat joined the Congress following a meeting with Rahul Gandhi, officially beginning her political career with a mission to leverage her popularity in the electoral battleground.

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