Has BJP used Babita Phogat to checkmate fellow wrestler and cousin Vinesh Phogat in her maiden electoral fight? The dissent within the family became evident when the multiple Commonwealth medalists suggested her cousin should not have joined Congress and threw her hat in the electoral field. But, the differences within the Mahavir Phogat clan were much bigger when Vinesh accused then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, demonstrated against him and Babita kept silent. The relationship only worsened and now it is clear that the two sisters are at daggers drawn.
A Tale Of Two Sisters
It has turned into a tale of two sisters that may further expand and deepen with time due to the politics between them and the political parties they have joined. It may not impact the politics of their state Haryana or the political parties they have joined. Still, it will certainly cast a shadow on their relationship and the wrestling career of Vinesh.
Vinesh Phogat To Wrestle In Politics?
When Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the final of the 50-kg category of wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the heart-broken disciple of Mahavir Phogat bade farewell to the sport in a heart-rendering note written to her mother. Though she indicated to withdraw the decision and continue to fight on the mat, she decided to test the electoral fight and joined the Congress. She will test the electoral waters from Julana, as assembly seat from Haryana.
Vinesh Chooses Congress To Take On Brij Bhushan?
Analysts believe Vinesh Phogat wants to take her fight against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who enjoys enough clout to be a three-time BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, the Congress has got a whip in the guise of the wrestler to crack on the BJP and put the saffron party in the dock at a time when it is facing an uphill task in the state that it has ruled for the last ten years.
Babita Phogat Slams Bhupinder Hooda
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda played a pivotal role in drafting the Olympian wrestler into the Congress Party. Babita Phogat used this opportunity to hit not only the Haryana patriarch and the grand old party but also her cousin. The wrestler-turned-politician came down heavily upon Hooda, accusing him of creating a rift within the Phogat family.
She told journalist Bhupinder Singh Hooda succeeded in creating a rift in the Phogat family and that the people would teach him a lesson. She said further that the Congress’s agenda has been to divide and rule and the party has always worked to break families.
Babita Criticises Vinesh Phogat
Slamming her cousin for joining the grand old party, the BJP member Mahavir Phogat is Vinesh’s guru and she should have obeyed her guru as the guru shows the right path. Chastisizing Vinesh Phogat, the Commonwealth gold medallist suggested she should have focused on her wrestling career and she could have won an Olympic Gold in 2028.
Phogat Family Stands Divided
The Bharatiya Janata Party has not taken kindly Vinesh Phogat’s decision to join its rival party. Besides fielding a formidable candidate against the Congress nominee in Julana, the party is believed to have put the Phogat family to confront the Olympian wrestler. Vinesh lost her father too early in her life and it was her uncle wrestling guru Mahavir Phogat who took her under his wings and helped her with her wrestling career.
What Has Saddened Mahavir Phogat?
The wrestling guru is not amused at the decision of her niece and disciple. Expressing his happiness in public, Mahavir Phogat said that she could have postponed the move to join politics until after the 2028 Olympics, suggesting that her focus should have remained on securing the gold medal for India.
He added that she could have postponed the move to join politics until after the 2028 Olympics, suggesting that her focus should have remained on securing the gold medal for India.
Mahavir Phogat: Gold Medal Is My Dream
The guru also said that Vinesh did very well in the Paris Olympics though she was disqualified in the final. He also said that she should participate in the 2028 Olympics. The guru declared that the Gold medal was his dream; she did not get it but the people of India gave her immense love and they had expected a Gold from her.
Expressing his displeasure, he said that it was Vinesh who took the decision to plunge into politics and he is saddened by it. Mahavir Phogat said Vinesh should have taken this decision after the 2028 Olympics.
Holding the Congress responsible for the decision taken by Vinesh, the wrestling guru said there was no planning to join politics. He also said neither Bajrang, nor she had this idea and she does not know how Congress did it, but she had no intentions earlier to contest elections.
Sisters At Crossroads
Political observers believe the BJP has used Babita Phogat to hit out at her cousin and also convince her father to speak out against his disciple. Such statements from the wrestling guru are most likely to send strong signals to the people in Haryana and create political problems for Vinesh.
It is an adage that politics makes strangers the bedfellows, but it is also true that politics divides families and forces people to part ways. The politics of Haryana has made it clear in the tale of two sisters as the sisters have parted ways.