Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who recently resigned from their roles in Northern Railways before joining the Congress, have not had their resignations approved yet, according to railway sources.
The sources emphasized that until these resignations are formally accepted, Phogat and Punia cannot contest elections or join any political party as per service rules.
Vinesh Phogat resigned from her position as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in sports, citing personal reasons, and shared a photo of her resignation letter on X (formerly Twitter). She expressed gratitude to the Indian Railways for the opportunity to serve. Bajrang Punia also reportedly resigned from the same post around the same time.
Sources clarified that while the resignations are under review, both wrestlers have joined the Congress party, a move that requires formal approval from the Railways. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal criticized the delay, accusing the Railways of playing politics and urging them to complete the formalities.
Venugopal also mentioned that both wrestlers had received show-cause notices from the Railways regarding their involvement in political activities, which is against service rules. The Railways, however, clarified that these notices were issued prior to their resignations, addressing concerns over their political participation.
Phogat, who led last year's protests against alleged sexual misconduct by the former Wrestling Federation of India chief, expressed pride in joining a party that supports women's rights. As Haryana prepares for its upcoming Assembly elections, speculation has risen about at least one of the wrestlers contesting the polls, set for October 5.