Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, boxer Vijender Singh quits Congress to join BJP

Lok Sabha elections: Boxer-turned politician Vijender Singh had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 elections on a Congres ticket from the South Delhi constituency

Boxer Vijender Singh on Wednesday quit the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a day after reposting a social media comment by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

"I have joined the BJP today for the development of the country and to serve the people...," the boxer said.

Singh, the first Indian boxer to win a medal in Olympics, fought the 2019 Lok Sabha election unsuccessfully from the South Delhi constituency on a Congress ticket. He contested against Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha and BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri, who defeated his rivals to retain his constituency.

Vijender Singh shared cryptic post on social media

The development came just days after Singh posted a message on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). "Wherever the public wants, I am ready," he said on March 30 amid speculation that the Congress might field him from in Mathura against BJP candidate and actress Hema Malini. Malini is contesting from her stronghold constituency in hopes to retain it for the third time in the coming polls.

Singh joined the BJP within 24 hours of retweeting a post by Rahul Gandhi, in which the former Congress president criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a veiled reference. Singh had joined Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in January this year. “Punch against hate,” the Congress had said, sharing a photo of the boxer with Gandhi.

The retweet was removed from Singh's 'X' feed shortly after he joined the saffron party.

Singh extended support to farmers' protest, wrestlers' agitation

During his time in the Congress party, Singh was very vocal on the farmers’ protest, and the wrestlers’ agitation against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Both events have been a major headache for the Narendra Modi government.

The Haryana-based boxer belongs to the Jat community, which is influential in several seats in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.