Vinesh Phogat should be sent to Rajya Sabha, says Bhupinder Hooda
New Delhi (PTI): Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said he would have nominated wrestler Vinesh Phogat to the Rajya Sabha if the Congress had the numbers in the state assembly.
The grappler bid adieu to her international wrestling career on Thursday, saying she did not have the strength to continue.
Announcing her decision to retire on social media, the 29-year-old -- disqualified from the Olympic Games after being found 100 gm overweight ahead of her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category -- sought forgiveness from everyone who supported her.
"To motivate her … There are Rajya Sabha polls soon ... We don't have a majority, else I would have nominated her. She has made us all proud," Bhupinder Singh Hooda told reporters in Delhi.
His son Deepender Hooda, a Lok Sabha MP, said one seat in the Rajya Sabha from Haryana fell vacant after his election to the Lower House.
Vinesh Phogat should be sent to the Upper House, he said.
"She has not lost, she has won. She has won the hearts of people and is an inspiration for the youngsters," Deepender Hooda said.
"A Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana has fallen vacant as I have come to the Lok Sabha. The election notification has come. What Hooda sahab said today ... She should be given a Rajya Sabha seat. I urge all parties of Haryana to consider this," he added.
Vinesh Phogat's uncle Mahavir Phogat, meanwhile, said despite setting many records, wrestler Geeta Phogat was not sent to the Rajya Sabha when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was chief minister.
"Today Bhupinder Hooda said that he would have sent Vinesh to the Rajya Sabha if he could. Why did he not send Geeta Phogat when his government was there?" Mahavir Phogat asked.
Geeta Phogat is Mahavir Phogat's daughter and Vinesh Phogat's cousin.
Calling it a political stunt, Mahavir Phogat added, "Geeta Phogat set many records. When the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government was in power, he did not even make Geeta a deputy superintendent of police. How can Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda now claim this?"
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TN polls: TVK pushes DMK behind with leads in 83 seats, AIADMK ahead in 54
Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.
About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.
If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.
While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.
A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.
According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.
Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.
BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.
AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.
DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.
