General Elections 2024: Boxer leader Vijender Singh quits Congress, joins BJP ahead of Lok Sabha Polls

General Elections 2024, Lok Sabha Polls: Ahead of the 2024 General Elections, boxer and former Congress leader Vijender Singh has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, April 3. Singh, India's first Olympic medallist in boxing, had joined the Congress in April 2019.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medal winning pugilist joined the BJP in the presence of the party's National General Secretary Vinod Tawde in Delhi.

After joining the BJP, Singh said, "I have joined BJP today for the development of the country and to serve the people..."

#WATCH | After joining BJP, Boxer Vijender Singh says, "I have joined BJP today for the development of the country and to serve the people..."#LokSabhaElections2024 https://t.co/OCa2lP2gkc pic.twitter.com/vdgCjdGWrz

— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2024

Singh had fought the 2019 Lok Sabha election unsuccessfully from the South Delhi constituency on a Congress ticket. 

As per reports, his name was doing the rounds as Congress party's nominee from Mathura, where BJP has fielded actor and incumbent MP Hema Malini. 

VIDEO | Boxer and former Congress leader Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) joins BJP in the presence of the party's National General Secretary Vinod Tawde (@TawdeVinod) in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/3VIDsSMkh4

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 3, 2024

Hailing from the Jat community, Singh holds sway and has political influence over a large number of seats from his home state Haryana, and in western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.