Yogeshwar Dutt is expected to join BJP ahead of Haryana Assembly polls

Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt will be joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of the Haryana polls. According to reports, he could be fielded as a candidate in the upcoming Haryana assembly polls next month. The Olympic wrestler hailing from Haryana was in contention for a Lok Sabha ticket from the BJP during the general elections. According to the news agency PTI, his name was recommended by the party's state unit.

Further sources stated that on Wednesday, Dutt met the State Unit President Subhash Barala in New Delhi to inform about his resignation from the Haryana police. Dutt may even get party's ticket for one of the assembly segments in the Sonipat Lok Sabha constituency, stated sources. Sonipat is also his home district. The district's seats are currently held by the BJP which won 47 seats in the 90-member seats in the 2014 elections. Meanwhile, the former Member of Parliament (MP) and Congress leader Kailash Saini joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (NJP) in presence of Barala at the Haryana Bhawan. 

Haryana Assembly elections

The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday had announced the dates for the upcoming Assembly polls for Haryana and Maharashtra. As announced by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Sunil Arora, polling of the 90 seats of Haryana will take place on October 21. Further, the counting will take place on October 24. According to reports, the term of Haryana Assembly expires on November 2. On the other hand, the Maharashtra Assembly polls will start simultaneously. The term of Maharashtra Assembly is said to expire on November 9.

Read: Maharashtra polls on October 21, BJP-Sena to contest together

Read: Congress leader Kapil Sibal attacks BJP after poll-dates announcement

Dutt's Olympic career

Yogeshwar Dutt, a freestyle wrestler, had won a bronze medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Further, he won a gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Dutt was also honored with the Padma Shri in 2013. The wrestler had also won a gold medal in the 2014 Asian games.

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(With PTI Inputs)