Haryana polls: Olympian Phogat to take on former commercial pilot Bairagi in Julana

Chandigarh: The Julana Assembly seat in Haryana’s Jind district is set to witness a keen electoral bout with the BJP fielding Capt Yogesh Bairagi, a former commercial pilot, against Congress’ wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat for the October 5 Assembly poll.

Bairagi’s name featured in the BJP’s second list of candidates for Haryana polls released on Tuesday.

The 35-five-year-old BJP nominee is currently the vice president of Haryana BJP’s youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and co-convenor of the BJP Sports cell.

He expressed gratitude to the party leadership for nominating him from the Julana seat and said he will work hard to ensure the party wins in the upcoming election.

The Julana Assembly segment drew attention after the Congress fielded Olympian wrestler Phogat from this Jat-dominated constituency.

Though the wrestler hails from Balali in Charkhi Dadri district, her in-laws’ hometown is Julana. Bakhta Khera village in Julana is the native village of her husband Somvir Rathee. Phogat (30) took retirement from wrestling before foraying into politics.

Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers’ protest against then WFI chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, recently joined the Congress.

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.

Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat filed her nomination from the Julana seat in Jind district on Wednesday.

She was accompanied by Congress leader and Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and Sonipat MP Satpal Brahmachari.

Thursday is the last day of filing of nominations for next month’s polls.

Speaking to reporters later, Deepender Hooda said Phogat will secure a “big win” for the party and exuded confidence that not just in Julana, the Congress will get an absolute majority in the Haryana Assembly under the leadership of Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Voting for the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8.