The BJP in Haryana will cross 50 seats and form government for the third time, party leader Yogeshwar Dutt told NDTV as the ruling party pulled a rabbit out of its political hat and stunned its principal rival, the Congress, and defied the exit poll predictions, which were not so kind to it.

Leading in 50 seats (out of 90), the BJP looks set to return for a third term, a feat not heard of before in the state. The majority mark is 46.

“Everybody knows how Congress, two days before results, tried to create an atmosphere. We have been saying from the start that we will form the government. You wait and see, we will cross 50 seats and form a government for the third time, which will be a historic achievement,” said Mr Dutt in Hindi.  

“The people of Haryana have shown that they are with the BJP. That they are with an imaandaar (honest) party,” he added, showering praise on the good work done by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and his predecessor ML Khattar.

Asked about Vinesh Phogat, who making her poll debut won from Julana, Mr Dutt said ,”The question is who is forming the government. These few wrestlers – Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh and Vinesh Phogat – have tried to spoil the atmosphere in Haryana. The Haryana public has answered them. Whether Vinesh wins or loses is not important, if you look at other 89 seats, these wrestlers have had no effect. Haryana does not have just three wrestlers,” said Mr Dutt, an Olympic bronze-medallist, who had to sit out this election.

Pressed to answer what’s next for him, the BJP leader said,”I am happy. It is for the party to decide who should get a ticket. I am with a nationalist party an will remain so.”

Lagging behind, the Congress questioned the Election Commission over its slow pace of counting.

A buoyed BJP has called a meeting of its leaders at the residence of Nayab Singh Saini, who won his seat from Ladwa.

From the wrestling mat to the political arena, the battle of words continues between some of India’s most esteemed wrestlers. Vinesh Phogat’s empty-handed return from the Paris Olympic Games 2024 due to her disqualification, has become a big talking point. The wrestler, who had announced his decision to quit the sport after her disqualification, decided to join the Indian National Congress ahead of the upcoming elections in Haryana. But, fellow wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who is also switched to politics, feels Vinesh should’ve apologised to the entire country for costing them a medal.

During a chat on AajTak, Yogeshwar heavily criticised Vinesh over her activities, be it in the Olympic Games or the protests she was a central part of over the last year or so.

“She has her own preferences but the country should know the truth. Whatever happened in the country over the last one year, be it her disqualification from the Olympic Games or the protest. When the new parliament was to be inaugurated, the country’s image was painted in an incorrect manner,” the London Games bronze medallist said.

Speaking of the Paris Games disqualification episode, Yogeshwar expressed his astonishment at the fact that Vinesh started to cry conspiracy, even dragging the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the saga.

“Since she was disqualified from the Olympic Games, she should’ve apologised in front of the entire nation, say that she made mistakes. But instead, she termed it a conspiracy, even blaming the Prime Minister of the country. Everyone knows that the disqualification is just, even if the weight exceeds by a single gram.

“She created wrong atmosphere in the country. Even during the protests, people were asked to gather in the wrong way.

“If speak just about the Olympics, despite costing India a medal, false perception was created that something wrong happened with her. If I was in Vinesh’s place, I would’ve apologised to the country,” he said.

Representational Image.© AFP

The upheavals in wrestling in the last two years have “severely affected” the growth of the sport in India, feels Olympic medallist grappler Yogeshwar Dutt, though he is still optimistic that the six-member Indian squad can win two medals at the Paris Games beginning on July 26. Sustained protests by six of the country’s top grapplers, including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh led to wrestling activities in India coming to a grinding halt for close to a year and a half.

It had a cascading effect with national camps and competitions being postponed, adversely affecting preparations for Olympic qualification events and, in turn, preparations for the quadrennial showpiece.

“Yes, I feel really pained with the way the last one-and-half to two years have been for Indian wrestling. The sport has passed through a really bad phase and it has severely affected the sport’s growth and had a negative effect on the followers of the game here,” said Dutt, bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, on the sidelines of an event ‘Glory of Five Rings’, organised by Manav Rachna Educational Institutions.

Dutt, who also tried to break the impasse when the protest was at its peak, was also saddened that the turmoil led to fewer number of Indian male wrestlers qualifying for the Games.

“In 2004 (Athens Olympics), six free-style wrestlers had qualified, after which 3, 4, 5 (male) wrestlers have made it to the Games every time. Sad that just one male wrestler, Aman Sehrawat, could qualify for Paris. But all credit to the women wrestlers, who secured five spots, which is a very good thing to happen,” he added.

Dutt refused to comment on Vinesh’s prospects at the Games. The 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist was at the forefront of the protest against Brij Bhushan over his alleged sexual harassment of female grapplers.

Asked about Vinesh’s chances in the 50kg category, a relatively uncharted territory for the 29-year-old as she has earned most of the laurels in 53kg, Dutt said, “See, five girls have qualified and women can win one maybe two medals.

“Some of them are very experienced as well. Be it Antim Panghal (the youngster who will compete in 53kg) or some other woman wrestler… so we have hope that we can win two medals.

“Olympics are never easy for anyone. Everyone has a dream of winning an Olympic medal. Our wrestlers have worked hard, they have some level of experience as well.” Dutt also hoped that the wrestlers will not break the tradition of never returning empty-handed from four successive Olympics.

Sushil Kumar won bronze in 2008 Beijing and four years later clinched silver in London, where Dutt claimed bronze. Sakshi Malik clinched a bronze in 2016 Rio before Bajrang Punia (bronze) and Ravi Dahiya (silver) brought home more glory from Tokyo.

“Six wrestlers are going to Paris, out of which five are girls. We have got six medals in wrestling in the last four Olympics. We have high hopes from Antim and Reetika Hooda, the new kid. They should win because we have a tradition of winning medals since 2008.”