Subhechcha Ganguly 
Vinesh Phogat is running against Yogesh Bairagi, a former Indian Army captain and commercial pilot, in the assembly elections. The year 2024 has been significant for Vinesh, marked by missing out on an Olympic final medal and transitioning into politics. She is contesting in Haryana’s Julana constituency in Jind district. As per early trends, the wrestler is currently trailing behind BJP’s Yogesh Bairagi.
She defeated four-time wrestling world champion Yui Susaki of Japan on her path to the final.Vinesh is not the first female wrestler from the state to enter politics and run for office. Her cousin, Babita Phogat, previously contested the assembly elections in 2019 from Charkhi Dadri but was unsuccessful.
Vinesh Phogat is up against Yogesh Bairagi in the assembly elections, who is running on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. A former Indian Army captain and commercial pilot, the 35-year-old has an impressive track record, including his significant role in the mission to repatriate Indians stranded abroad during the Covid pandemic. He also contributed notably to relief and rescue efforts following the Chennai floods.
Wrestling arenas, or akhadas, used to be lively spaces where young girls and boys trained together, aspiring for medals at major events and subsequent government jobs.However, everything shifted after the protests in January 2023 led by prominent wrestlers like Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia. They called for the resignation of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of harassing junior women wrestlers.
