Three time Olympian Krishna Poonia to contest for Congress

Olympian Krishna Poonia moves from heat and dust of sporting battles to national politics as Congress candidate

Krishna Poonia's phone has been trilling incessantly since she was announced as the Congress candidate from Jaipur Rural yesterday. The three-time Olympian and Padma Shri awardee, current MLA from Sadulpur constituency in Rajasthan, is now team Congress.

She competed in the women's discus in 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and won gold in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. Poonia laughed as she said over the phone, "Do not talk to me about stress. I know pressure cooker situations - sporting and now political first hand because I have handled them."

The athlete claimed she has an advantage in the polls because her "grassroots work will speak for itself." Elaborating on the work, she said, "I had a target called Mission 2 lakh. This simply meant that I made it my goal to meet at least 2 lakh people in the constituency and understand their needs, hopes, aspirations and problems. I have a rural background, I know the adversities, it helps me connect with the people."

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Stressing on the farmer aspect, in line with the party, Poonia said, "As a sportswoman, I have experienced the rain and the searing heat that farmers have done on their soil, in the open where I used to train. Our avenues are different, our fields are the same – those that need grit and determination."

The sportsperson claimed that the most robust part of democracy was that "the doors to enter politics are open to all, and I want to see a lot more sportspersons, especially from the rural belt getting into the political system."

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'We will see change'

Poonia, however, did not speak about contesting against Union Information and Broadcasting Minister and Olympic silver medalist shooter Rajyavardhan Rathore, who is the sitting Jaipur Rural MP. When asked about the Congress' soft stance on terror, she said that "the party does not believe in making public issues of national security." Poonia added, "For how long are we going to fight elections on Hindu-Muslim, Mandir-Masjid planks? We have to focus on other aspects and I am certain this time we are going to see change."

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