NEW DELHI: Olympic medalist Vijender Singh, known for his boxing prowess, made headlines as he switched allegiance from the Congress party to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, just hours after reposting a critical video shared by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on X (formerly Twitter). Singhโs move comes amidst a wave of defections from the Congress to the BJP, adding an intriguing twist to his political journey.
The viral video, shared by Rahul Gandhi, featured a woman lambasting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over various issues including the electoral bonds scam and the recent violence in Manipur. Singhโs decision to repost this critique seemingly signaled his alignment with the Congress partyโs stance.
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FLASH: Boxer & Former #Congress leader #VijenderSingh joins BJP ahead of #LokSabhaElections2024.
Reports: @iAtulKrishan1 pic.twitter.com/Au8kT4Dbtiโ The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) April 3, 2024
However, in a surprising turn of events, Singh declared his decision to join the BJP, labelling it as a โhomecomingโ during his induction ceremony at the party headquarters in New Delhi. โToday I am joining the BJP, it is like ghar wapsi (homecoming) for me,โ Singh stated, emphasizing his return to the saffron camp.
Singhโs political journey began with the Congress, where he contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from South Delhi but faced defeat against BJPโs Ramesh Bidhuri. Speculations were rife that Singh could contest the upcoming polls from Mathura as the Congress nominee, challenging BJP MP and actor Hema Malini.
Hailing from the influential Jat community, Singhโs political moves hold significance in his native Haryana and beyond. His cryptic social media post on March 30 hinted at his willingness to align with the publicโs aspirations, sparking speculations about his future political affiliation.
เคเคพเคเคเฅเคฐเฅเคธ เคตเคพเคฒเฅ เคเคฟเคธเฅ เคเฅเคเคกเคฟเคกเฅเค เคฌเคจเคพเคจเฅ เคเฅ เคธเฅเคเคคเฅ เคนเฅ เคฌเฅเคเฅเคชเฅ เคตเคพเคฒเฅ เคเคธเฅ เคชเคนเคฒเฅ เคนเฅ เคเคกเคผเคพ เคฒเฅ เคเคพเคคเฅ เคนเฅ, เคเคธเฅ เคเฅเคธเฅ เคเคฒเฅเคเคพเฅค เคฌเคคเคพเค #Mathura #VijendraSingh pic.twitter.com/R6ep9jAMsY
โ The Tribal Voice ๐ฎ๐ณ (@tribalvoice99) April 3, 2024
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In his previous stint with Congress, Singh expressed his commitment to serve the nation, citing his illustrious boxing career as a testament to his dedication. He participated in various party events, including the Bharat Jodo Yatra alongside Rahul Gandhi in Haryana.
Singhโs achievements in boxing, notably winning Indiaโs first Olympic medal in the sport at the 2008 Beijing Games, earned him widespread acclaim. Despite facing allegations in a doping scandal in 2012, he was later acquitted, maintaining his integrity in the sporting arena.