BJP leader Captain Yogesh Bairagi and Congress’ Vinesh Phogat. (Photo: Social media)
In its second list, the saffron party fielded former ministers Krishan Kumar Bedi and Manish Grover from Narwana and Rohtak seats, respectively.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released its second list of 21 candidates for the Haryana assembly election 2024, fielding party youth leader Captain Yogesh Bairagi from Julana opposite Congress pick Vinesh Phogat.
While state Captain Yogesh Bairagi is the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Vice-President and the co-convener of BJP sports cell (Haryana) and has been working for people at grassroots level, Vinesh Phogat is a wrestler-turned politician, who has been fighting for the rights of athletes and joined Congress last week.
Vinesh Phogat said, “We are working hard, everyone has the right to fight. We believe in our honesty and truth that people will support us. I am among people, it is a matter of great happiness for me that girls are considering me as an inspiration. Today I met college girls. There are many things that we have to do. We assure everyone that when Congress government comes, they will not be allowed to suffer what we had to suffer.
Phogat termed her political innings as a new chapter in her life and said that she would continue to work for the rights of other athletes.
Referring to the ongoing sexual harassment case against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh, Phoghat had said, “It was only the Congress party who understood our tears. This is a new chapter in my life. I will work for other athletes so that they don’t have to go through what we went through.”
“With the new platform that we are getting today, we will work for the service of the nation. The way we played our game with heart, we will give our best to work for our people. I want to tell my sisters, that I am with them. If there will be no one for you, I will be there, Congress party will be there. I have felt this, and I can assure you that we will be there for sure,” she added.
Phogat, who resigned from her position with the Indian Railways, said that when the wrestlers were protesting on the roads, all the political parties except the BJP stood with them.
BJP’s lists of candidates
In its second list, the saffron party fielded former ministers Krishan Kumar Bedi and Manish Grover from Narwana and Rohtak seats, respectively.
The party has fielded Pawan Saini, considered close to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, from the Naraingarh seat while Satpal Jamba has been nominated to fight the polls from from Pundri.
Yogender Rana has been fielded from Assandh, Devender Kaushik from Ganaur, Krishna Gahlawat from Rai, Pradeep Sangwan from Baroda and Capt Yogesh Bairagi from Julana.
Baldev Singh Mangiana will fight the Dabwali seat, Manish Grover has been nominated for Rohtak, Om Prakash Yadav for Narnaul, Krishna Kumar for Bawal (SC), Bimla Chaudhary for Pataudi (SC), Sanjay Singh for Nuh and Naseem Ahmed for Ferozepur Jhirka seat.
Aizaz Khan has been fielded from Punhana, Manoj Rawat from Hathin, Harinder Singh Ramrattan from Hodal (SC) while Dhanesh Adlakha will contest from Badkhal.
The BJP released its first list of 67 candidates for the 90-member Assembly on September 4, fielding Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from the Ladwa seat and rewarding several recent entrants to the party with poll tickets.
Haryana will go to polls on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8.
