WFI polls: Brij Bhushan show of strength ahead of nominations

In a show of strength, former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh met officials from 21 of the 25 state units on Sunday, ahead of the filing of nominations for the federation’s elections. Monday is the last date for filing of nominations.

Barring the Gujarat, Assam, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh units that have reportedly distanced themselves from Brij Bhushan’s group, the others were present at the meeting. It was learnt that representatives of these state units held a separate meeting on Sunday.

A former top wrestling official who was part of the meeting said that a majority of WFI’s state units are together and will decide their next course of action after another round of meeting with Brij Bhushan on Monday.

“We are all together except for a few state units, but there is an attempt to divide us. We are sticking together,” the official said.

Brij Bhushan, BJP leader and a sixth term Lok Sabha MP, is facing charges over sexual harassment of women wrestlers. The case is being heard by a Delhi court.

His term as WFI president has ended as he has already completed the maximum permitted three terms, over 12 years. As per the National Sports Code, he cannot contest for any post in these elections. The WFI remains suspended by the union sports ministry and the ad hoc panel set up by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will run the sport until the new set of office-bearers take charge.

Brij Bhushan and his son Karan Bhushan are not in the electoral college for the elections to the executive body scheduled on August 12. However, his son-in-law Vishal Singh, the Bihar unit president, will take part in the elections as a representative of the state.

Although he won’t be present at the August 12 elections, Brij Bhushan has strong influence in the federation and can field his candidates for key positions. The protest by top wrestlers, led by Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, and two-time World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, was to end the reign of Brij Bhushan and his family members in WFI.

Among the four state units that didn’t attend the meeting, Railways Sports Promotion Board secretary Prem Chand Lochab, representing the Gujarat state unit, is likely to put up his name for a top post. Devender Singh Kadyan, chairman of the Mannat Group of Hotels and BJP politician from Haryana who is representing Assam, is also expected to contest for a key post. Anita Sheoran, who is with the Haryana Police and is a witness in the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan, has been listed in the electoral college as representing Odisha. She too is expected to file her nomination for a post.

As far as Himachal Pradesh is concerned, the dispute was settled and elections to a new state executive body was held on July 23. Returning officer Justice (retd) MM Kumar has allowed president Kuldeep Singh and general secretary Rajender Singh to be part of the elections.

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