HARYANA'S SPORTS STARS ENTER POLITICAL ARENA

Haryana's athletes, despite being highly rewarded for their achievements often become pawns for political parties seeking electoral gains.

- NEERAJ MOHAN

Haryana may be India's powerhouse of athletic talent, rewarding its medallists with hefty payouts, government jobs, and other benefits, but the sportspersons often fall prey to the political parties which use their fame and personality for political gains during elections.

The list of sports stars being drawn to politics is getting longer during every election, as the latest entrants in the political arena are star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia.

Both the wrestlers, who took part in the protests at Delhi last year during January, against BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India Chief, Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, followed the footsteps of fellow athletes who traded the sports field for the political battleground, but could not make an impact in politics.

But they are not new.

Over the years, political parties have strategically leveraged the popularity of these athletes to boost their chances in challenging electoral battles. Wrestlers like Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat, hockey player Sandeep Singh, and boxer Vijender Singh are a few examples of Haryana's sporting icons who have been roped into political campaigns.

Despite their star power, many of these athletes have struggled to secure lasting political careers. Vinesh Phogat's potential entry into politics seems to be a calculated move by senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who viewed her as a viable candidate for the Jat-dominated Julana constituency-a seat Congress has not won since 2005. Congress was earlier planning to field Punia either from Badli constituency, where he may take on BJP's senior leader O.P.