Star boxer-turned-politician Vijender Singh quits Congress, joins BJP

NEW DELHI: Vijender Singh, India’s first Olympic medallist in boxing, who had jumped into politics in 2019, has quit the Congress party.

Vijender Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (April 03), serving a severe blow to the Congress party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

“I have joined the BJP in interest of the nation and to serve the people. I want to help more and more people,” said Vijender Singh after joining BJP.

Singh had previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the South Delhi constituency under the Congress banner, albeit without success.

In recent days, speculation had been rife regarding his potential candidacy as the Congress nominee from Mathura, the constituency currently represented by actor and incumbent BJP MP Hema Malini.

Hailing from the influential Jat community, Vijender Singh's political influence extends across various constituencies in Haryana, his home state, as well as in western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.