The Julana Assembly Constituency has drawn attention after the Congress fielded Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Jat-dominated constituency. The wrestler-turned-politician is unlikely to have an easy path to victory here as the BJP has fielded Capt Yogesh Bairagi, a former commercial pilot as its candidate while wrestler Kavita Dalal is contesting on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. 

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has fielded former BJP leader Surender Singh Lather as its candidate while the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) has fielded its sitting MLA Amarjeet Dhanda again from this constituency. In the last Assembly election, Dhanda had won the Julana seat by defeating BJP's candidate Parminder Singh Dhull by a margin of over 24,000 votes. Vinesh’s entry as Congress candidate has made Julana a high-stakes seat.

As per the available reports, the constituency has around 1.85 lakh votes in which more than 40 percent belong to the Jat community. Secondly, the Brahmin, Scheduled Caste (SC) and backward community (BC) also have a significant presence. 

The Julana seat, situated in the Jat-dominated Bangar region of the State, has long been controlled by parties like INLD and JJP, which have held the seat for the past 15 years. Parminder Singh Dhull of the INLD won the seat in 2009 and 2014, while Amarjeet Dhanda of the JJP claimed it in 2019.

The constituency was thrust into the spotlight as soon as Vinesh Phogat was fielded by the Congress, just hours after she and fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia joined the party. The two wrestlers had been at the forefront of the protest against former BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinesh’s popularity has seen a surge recently after she missed out on what would have been at least a silver medal at the Paris Olympics on being disqualified for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams ahead of the final bout in the 50 kg freestyle wrestling event.

Vinesh, with her immense popularity as an international sports icon, is likely to face a tough challenge from BJP’s candidate Capt Yogesh Bairagi, JJP’s sitting MLA Amarjeet Dhanda, Dr Surender Lather, a BJP rebel who was nominated by INLD considering his mass connect in the constituency and AAP’s candidate Kavita Dalal. With Dalal in the fight, the election in Julana will feature a unique contest - wrestler versus wrestler versus captain.

Dalal brings her own wrestling fame to the campaign, as she is the first Indian female wrestler to participate in WWE, garnering significant attention and adding to the celebrity factor of the race. While Vinesh would seek votes as Julana’s “bahu,” Dalal would ask votes for being Julana’s “beti”. Similarly, JJP’s sitting MLA Amarjeet Dhanda would also get significant votes and would be a direct threat to Vinesh’s vote bank.

Dalal in the 2016 South Asian Games represented India in weightlifting and won a gold medal. She later transitioned to professional wrestling, and in WWE, she made a significant impact. Dalal showcased her strength to the world during the Mae Young Classic 2017 and received acclaim for her performance at WrestleMania 34. Additionally, in India, she is known as 'Lady Khali'. Dalal weighs over 70 kg and stands 5 feet 9 inches tall.

In April 2022, Kavita began her political career by joining AAP in Haryana. Talking to reporters, Dalal said that she was impressed by the work of Arvind Kejriwal and committed to fulfilling any responsibilities assigned to her. Moreover, after a two-year wait, she has now been given a ticket to contest the Haryana Assembly elections. 

Anticipating a tough electoral fight, BJP named Capt Yogesh Bairagi as its candidate. Hailing from Safidon in Jind district, he is currently serving as vice president and executive committee member of Haryana BJP's youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). The 35-year-old leader is also the convener of the party's Sports cell in the state. Bairagi is also known for his social service during natural disasters and other emergencies. He was involved in relief and rescue operations during floods in Chennai and also participated in the “Vande Bharat” mission, a repatriation effort to rescue Indian nationals stranded abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Talking to reporters, Bairagi said, "I want to express my gratitude to the senior leadership of the party for showing trust in me. The Congress candidate (Vinesh Phogat) is also like our sister and till the time she played, she made the country proud. We will work hard so that BJP wins. I appeal to the people of my constituency to show trust in me. The model with which I will work there will be a model of development.”

INLD candidate, Dr Lather, who had studied veterinary sciences from Haryana Agriculture University (HAU), had quit the job of deputy excise and taxation commissioner just before the parliamentary polls and was active in the assembly for the past around six years through his NGO called Samajik Sarokar Parivar. His efforts to open more than 50 libraries in rural areas to ensure students from villages can prepare for the competitive examination are well acknowledged in the constituency.

As Vinesh, Lather, Amarjeet Dhanda and Kavita Dalal belong to the dominant Jat community, a division of Jat votes among them may be of great benefit to BJP’s Bairagi. According to them, Vinesh’s opponents have added an element of unpredictability to the contest. Vinesh is married in the Rathi family of Bakhta Khera but the Rathi gotra has an insignificant presence in the constituency. Even her in-laws had left the village a long time back and had no regular connection with the constituency. The only advantage Vinesh, according to locals, is if the khaps of all villages support her and of course her international stature as a fighter.

What has made the contest interesting here is the entry of Olympian wrestler Vinesh stepping into the state's political arena this time with her superb performance in the Paris Olympics and subsequent unfortunate disqualification, Vinesh won the hearts of Indians. She made her community and family proud. Political observers opined that it would not be surprising to see her get votes, cutting across caste divide due to her recent popularity and sympathy after the Paris Olympics. Her entry will boost Congress’ chances because of her popularity among Jats, farmers, women, and the youth. It also casts a negative light on the BJP for targeting her for participating in the wrestler protests.