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Just days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) has received a massive jolt after boxer Vijender Singh made a switch from Congress to Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). The Olympian, who joined Congress in 2019, contested the general elections from South Delhi constituency.
On his first attempt, the Indian boxer lost against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri. However, the 38-year-old was set to stand against Bollywood celebrity Hema Malina, who has been named as a candidate from the Mathura seat for BJP, has in a shocking move, joined his allies with the BJP on Wednesday, April 3.
Singh, who was the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal, confirmed his BJP joining in the presence of BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde on Wednesday. “This is ghar wapsi (homecoming) for me. I had contested the elections in 2019. It is good to be back,” he said.
“The way sportspersons are getting respect in the country and abroad now is commendable. When we used to go abroad to fight earlier, to the UK and Dubai, for instance, certain things would happen at the airports sometimes. But since the BJP and the (Narendra) Modi government came to power, we can go anywhere easily,” he said on his joining.
“I would like to thank PM Modi and the BJP for the respect that sportspersons get under his government. I would like to be a part of this government, help people and show them the right path. I am the same Vijender that I was and will call a spade a spade,” he added.
