Before Vinesh and Bajrang… how strong has been the performance of the players in the electoral arena of Haryana?

Like 2019, this time too many sportspersons will be seen starting their political innings in the Haryana assembly elections. Famous wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. With this, now speculations are being made that Vinesh Phogat’s name may come in the list of Congress candidates. Congress is going to release this list soon. Let us tell you that voting is on October 5 in Haryana. Counting of votes is on October 8.

In the year 2019, three players entered the political arena in the Haryana assembly elections. Their names were wrestler Babita Phogat, Yogeshwar Dutt and hockey player Sandeep Singh. All three of these players contested the elections on BJP ticket. But only Sandeep Singh won. Babita Phogat and Yogeshwar Dutt could not succeed in their debut contest. It is believed that these three leaders will contest the elections from BJP this time too.

Babita Phogat: In the 2019 assembly elections, Babita contested on a BJP ticket from Dadri assembly seat of Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana. Babita Phogat, who won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, faced defeat in her first political contest. On this seat, independent candidate Somveer Sangwan defeated Babita Phogat by a margin of 14,272 votes. Somveer Sangwan had contested from this seat on a BJP ticket in 2019 but he lost to INLD’s Rajdeep Phogat by just 1600 votes.

Babita is determined to contest the elections from Dadri seat this time too and is running a public relations campaign in her area. However, BJP has not yet approved her candidature.

Yogeshwar Dutt: Yogeshwar Dutt, who won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics, started his political career in 2019 from Baroda seat in Haryana. But he had to face defeat from this seat. He was defeated by Krishna Hooda of Congress. Padma Shri awardee Yogeshwar Dutt was given the responsibility by the BJP to ensure the victory of the BJP in Baroda, a seat where the party had never won before. This seat has been occupied by either INLD or Congress.

Not only did Yogeshwar Dutt lose from Baroda seat in 2019, but when a by-election was held on this seat in 2020, Yogeshwar Dutt had to face defeat once again. This by-election had to be held due to the death of Krishna Hooda. In this by-election, BJP once again made wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt its candidate. But this time too his magic did not work on the people and he lost the election to Induraj Narwal of Congress.

Although Yogeshwar Dutt wants to try his luck on a BJP ticket this time, he wants to contest from Gohana seat this time. Yogeshwar Dutt said that he has informed the high command about his wish.

Sandeep Singh: Among the sportspersons who contested the 2019 elections, hockey player Sandeep Singh proved lucky and won and reached the assembly. Sandeep Singh contested from Pehowa seat of Kurukshetra district. He won in 2019 and defeated Mandeep Singh Chittha of Congress. The then Khattar government made him the Sports Minister in its cabinet. But he got embroiled in controversies. A junior athletics coach from Haryana had filed a complaint against the former minister accusing him of molestation. Sandeep Singh had to resign after his name surfaced in this case.

However, Sandeep Singh is still active in politics. Now it remains to be seen whether the party gives ticket to this Sikh face again or not. However, Sandeep Singh will face the challenge of coming out clean from the molestation case.