Is Vijender Singh Congress's Answer To Hema Malini In Mathura Seat?

The Congress is aiming to regain the Mathura Lok Sabha seat, last won by them in 2004, by fielding a celebrity candidate against the BJP's Hema Malini. Sources suggest that boxer Vijender Singh is likely to be the Congress's candidate from Mathura, although there has been no official confirmation yet.

Mathura, where the Jat community holds significant sway, has seen the Congress emerge victorious only five times since the constituency's inception in 1951-52. The seat has been a stronghold for the BJP since Sakshi Maharaj led the party to victory in 1991. With the exceptions of the 2004 and 2009 elections, when the Congress's Manvendra Singh and the RLD's Jayant Chaudhary won the seat, the BJP has dominated the Mathura Lok Sabha polls. Hema Malini has won the seat twice in a row and is aiming for a hat-trick in 2024.

Consolidating the Jat votes had been a concern for the BJP, especially since Hema Malini was initially considered an outsider. RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, who had previously sworn never to join the BJP, posed a challenge for the saffron party as he threatened to lure away Jat votes. However, with Jayant Chaudhary now part of the NDA and Hema Malini having established herself as the 'Jat bahu' through her marriage to Sikh Jat actor Dharmendra Deol, the BJP appears to be a formidable force.

The Congress is now banking on Vijender to secure the Jat votes. Vijender, who has tried to connect with the Jat community in the past, joined the Congress just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He contested the South Delhi seat but was defeated by the BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri. This time, the BJP has replaced Ramesh Bidhuri with Ramvir Singh Bidhuri in South Delhi.

Vijender's 'Jat sports celebrity image' was highlighted when he joined wrestlers in protesting against BJP MP and World Wrestling Federation president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh early last year. He stood in solidarity with the athletes, most of whom were from Haryana, and called on the people of the country to support them.

Vijender has brought home several medals for India, including a bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

If Vijender's candidacy from Mathura is confirmed, he could pose a significant challenge to Hema Malini and the BSP's Kamalkant Upamanyu.