The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said WWE fame Kavita Dalal will represent it against Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat and BJP's Yogesh Bairagi from the Julana constituency of Haryana.
Why Kavita Devi is special?
She is a recepient of the 2018 “First Ladies” (a distinction given to high-achieving female pioneers) award, which was handed over by the then Indian President Ram Nath Kovind.
Kavita Dalal was the first Indian female performer to be hired by the US-based World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The 37-year-old, who used the ring name Kavita Devi, had performed at WrestleMania 34 during the inaugural WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal before making her NXT debut. She remained with the company till 2021 May before being formally released.
Her unsuccessful bout with NXT Superstar Dakota Kai on August 30, 2017, has been watched by over 76,328,182 people so far on YouTube.
Native to Malvi village of Julana tehsil of Haryana's Jind district, Kavita was part of independent circuits before getting the WWE contract. She used the ring names Kavita and Hard KD during this phase of her career. She trained at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
Interestingly, she also pursued a successful career in weightlifting before becoming a full-time professional wrestler. Reports showed that the mother of a 14-year-old had won gold in the 75 kg category at the 2016 South Asian Games.
Kavita was mentored by none other than the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dalip Singh Rana a.k.a The Great Khali which ultimately led her to a career with WWE. Openly admitting his role in shaping her career, she had also praised Jinder Mahal, another Indian wrestler in WWE for his popularity and skills.
Kavita wanted to retire after her marriage in 2009 but her husband insisted that she carry on, multiple reports stated.
Kavita Dalal was included in AAP's fourth list of candidates for the Haryana Assembly elections 2024. The 21-strong list was released on Wednesday, taking the total number of candidates representing the party to 61.
The incumbent BJP has pitted Yogesh Bairagi, a former commercial pilot, against the two women from the seat.
Vinesh Phogat vs Kavita Dalal
Meanwhile, Olympian Vinesh Phogat kicked off her campaign from Julana on Sunday. Phogat received a warm welcome from her supporters when she reached the Jat-dominated constituency with senior citizens, women and members of various 'khaps' greeted her and gave their blessings.