DELHI: Vinesh Phogat has claimed, defeating her BJP rival Yogesh Kumar by 6,015 votes just months after facing disappointment at the Paris Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress party and successfully contested the elections in Julana, Haryana securing victory with a margin of 5,761 votes. This win marks Congress’s first triumph in this seat in 19 years.
The athlete secured a total of 65,080 votes, while Indian National Lok Dal candidate Surinder Lathar came in third with 10,158 votes.
In related news, Vinesh Phogat was one of the key figures protesting against the former President of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Singh, voicing her concerns over sexual harassment.
It is noteworthy that just hours before the women’s 50 kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for weighing 100 grams over the limit, preventing her from competing for a medal.
Recently, the wrestler claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attempted to contact her and suggested recording their conversation following the Paris Olympics incident, but she refused.
Vinesh Phogat was set to compete against America’s Sarah Hildebrandt for the gold medal, but on that morning, her weight was found to be over 100 grams, disqualifying her from the final match.
The athlete soon announced her retirement on social media, apologizing to the nation for her disqualification.