'Any BJP candidate will defeat Phogat, Punia': Brij Bhushan on wrestlers joining Congress

NEW DELHI: In a display of confidence, former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment allegations by six wrestlers, said that even a "small BJP candidate" would defeat Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, as the two ventured into politics after joining Congress on Friday.

"These people consider politics to be a wind. They are thinking that they will win the assembly elections from Haryana. They can contest from any assembly seat in Haryana, a small BJP candidate will defeat them," he said.

The former BJP MP, who was denied party ticket in the Lok Sabha elections, even offered to campaign for the candidate who stands opposite to the two wrestlers in the upcoming Haryana polls.

"If my party directs, I will also go and campaign in the Haryana assembly elections. I claim that I will get maximum support from the people of their community. I am ready to campaign in favour of the BJP candidate in front of them as well," he said.

'Conspiracy of the Congress'

Terming the protests by the wrestlers, in which Phogat and Punia were at the forefront, as the "conspiracy of Congress," Singh said, "Before this incident, no one took a selfie with me. Now after this incident, heroes and heroines also take selfies, even saints and sages are taking selfies."

"When the women wrestlers had levelled allegations against me, I had then said that this is a conspiracy of the Congress," he said.

He also took credit for popularising wrestling in India and said, "After becoming the president of the WFI, due to my efforts, people started knowing about wrestling in India and wrestlers won medals in international competitions."

He alleged that several Congress leaders joined the wrestlers protest in the guise of demanding justice for them. "One after the other, many wrestlers were made their pawns. The Congress, along with the wrestlers, has destroyed wrestling in this country," he said.

Meanwhile, Singh approached the Delhi high court on Wednesday, seeking to quash FIR and the charges filed against him in a sexual harassment case brought by six female wrestlers.

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