New Delhi, August 12:  Wrestler Babita Kumari Phogat and her father Mahavir Singh Phogat on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in Delhi. Residents of Balali village near Bhiwani in Haryana, the father-daughter duo became a part of the BJP barely two months before the Haryana Assembly polls, which are scheduled later this year. Babita along with her sister Geeta Phogat, have contributed to a change in mindset towards girls and women in their village in Haryana. Sanjay Seth and Surendra Singh Nagar, Ex-SP MPs Join BJP.

Meanwhile, Babita's father, Mahavir Phogat was earlier the chief of the Jannayak Janata Party's (JJP) sports cell. With his induction in BJP, Mahavir switched sides from the JJP, which was floated last year by former Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala following a vertical split in the Indian National Lok Dal. According to a report by PTI, when he was asked about his reasons for joining the BJP, he said, he is impressed with policies and programmes of the Narendra Modi government and wanted to be a part of it.

Here's the tweet:

Ace wrestler sisters Babita, Geeta and their father Mahavir Phogat's life inspired the Aamir Khan starrer 'Dangal'. After the Narendra Modi-led government have its historic decision on Article 370, Babita Phogat had taken to Twitter to heap praise on the BJP leadership. This day will always be remembered. Salute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Jai Hind, she had tweeted.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2019 01:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).