Bharat Jodo Yatra: Olympic boxer Vijender Singh joins Rahul Gandhi's political campaign

Vijender Singh is one of the few celebrities who have joined the 3,500-kilometer Yatra, which began in Kanyakumari in September and is scheduled to conclude in Kashmir early next year. Vijender Singh contested in the last Lok Sabha election from South Delhi but finished third.

Olympic boxer and Congress leader Vijender Singh walked a few kilometres with Rahul Gandhi on Friday, November 25, 2022, after joining the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh.

In a photo shared by the Congress Twitter handle and captioned with the traditional Hindi greeting, "Wakhra Swag," the two were seen talking lively and twirling their moustaches, an ode to the boxer's native Haryanvi style.

Vijender Singh is one of the few celebrities who have joined the 3,500-kilometer Yatra, which began in Kanyakumari in September and is scheduled to conclude in Kashmir early next year.

Originally from Haryana's Bhiwani district, Vijender Singh contested in the last Lok Sabha election from South Delhi but finished third. He is famously known for winning a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, making him the first Indian boxer winner. He also has two silvers and one bronze medal from the Commonwealth Games. He is a professional boxer who competes in several countries.

A veteran actor-director, Pooja Bhatt, also walked with Rahul Gandhi, as have Bollywood and TV actors, including Riya Sen, Mona Ambegaonkar, Rashami Desai, and Sushant Singh, among others.

As the Yatra continues into Congress-ruled Rajasthan, politically Rahul Gandhi will face a bitter power struggle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his rival Sachin Pilot and questions from reservation-seeking communities.