Vinesh begins campaign, receives warm welcome

Wrestler and Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said she expects to win each battle with the blessings of people as kicks off her campaign for the upcoming assembly election.

Phogat, 30, has been fielded from the Julana assembly segment for the upcoming assembly poll.

Polling in Haryana will take place on October 5 while the counting of votes for the elections to the 90-member assembly will take place on October 8.

Phogat was accorded a warm welcome when she reached Julana as her supporters, including elderly people and women and members of various 'Khaps', greeted her with garlands and gave their blessings.

The Congress had on Friday released its first list of 32 candidates for the Haryana Assembly polls, naming her among the party candidates.

Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers' protest against then WFI chief and former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, entered the political arena on Friday by joining the Congress.

Standing atop a car, Phogat took the blessings of people who surrounded her four wheeler to get a glimpse of her. Amid beats of a dhol, her supporters chanted 'Vinesh Phogat zindabad.'

Replying to a question on former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Phogat said, "Brij Bhushan is not the country. My country stands by me. My loved ones stand by me and they matter to me."

Brij Bhushan on Saturday alleged that Phogat and Bajrang Punia were used by the Congress as 'pawns' in a 'conspiracy' to take control of the WFI and attack the BJP.

To a question, Phogat said, "My loved ones supported me. Like they ensured victory in wrestling (during her sports career), they will continue their blessings here (electoral contest) and with their blessings, we will win every battle."

Replying to another question, she said the pain of not getting an Olympic medal subsided that very day when the citizens of the country showered love on her after she landed at the airport.

"I have to reduce their (people) pain and it is my responsibility," she added.

"I am 30 years old and I have come through many challenges. When people are with you, one can overcome any challenge," Phogat said.

Replying to a question on contesting the elections, she said, "I am feeling happy and I will try to live up to their expectations."

While the wrestler hails from Balali in Charkhi Dadri district, her in-laws' home town is Julana. Bakhta Khera village in Julana is the native village of her husband Somvir Rathee.

Later addressing a gathering at Bhakta Khera village, Phogat said she will remain thankful to god if she is able to reduce people's problems.

"The land of Jind is historic. People here are very brave," she said as she sought support and blessing of people for the electoral battle and promised that she will stay in village and will always be amongst them.

"It does not matter whether I win or lose (electoral battle). We have a house here and I will stay here," she said.

She thanked the Congress party for giving her the ticket to contest.

Phogat also said party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had supported them when they were holding a protest in Delhi.

"At that stage we felt that we were lacking courage and also felt that we should leave the country. We were feeling insulted. But Priyanka ji told me not to lose courage and asked us to answer through wrestling," she said.

"I admire Rahul Gandhi ji. I am seeing that he has been meeting people for the past two-three years and trying to understand their pain," she said.

She also thanked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and said she assured him to perform any responsibility they entrust with her.

"Your respect will always be above everything," she told the gathering.

"The country has given me a lot and so has wrestling. Whatever I am today is because of this sport," she said.

She asked people to back their daughters in achieving their dreams.

Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final, the stage where she was disqualified in Paris after being found overweight by about 100 grams in her 50-kilogramme category weigh-in.

She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport.