A first-time MP who contested his first MLA election in 2023, Mahant Balaknath has generated unexpected buzz in the Rajasthan elections. Across constituencies, people talk about the BJP candidate from Tijara, drawing parallels with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath – a comparison that Balaknath pointedly distances himself from.
Born in Alwar, Rajasthan, Baba Balaknath's journey into the political realm began in 2014 when he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His deep-rooted connection with the people of Alwar, coupled with his reputation as a spiritual guide, quickly catapulted him to prominence within the party.
In 2019, Balaknath's political aspirations were realized when he was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Alwar Lok Sabha constituency. His victory marked a significant shift in the political dynamics of Alwar, as he successfully transformed his spiritual following into a formidable political force.
Balak Nath is a disciple of the late Mahant Chand Nath Yogi, former BJP MP of Alwar and Mahant of the Baba Mastnath Math in Haryana’s Rohtak. Before he passed away in 2017, Chand Nath declared Balak Nath his successor.
Balak Nath, who was born in a Yadav family in Alwar district, is also the Chancellor of the Baba Mastnath University in Rohtak.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Alwar to campaign for Balak Nath. “Yogi ji and our sampraday and Panth are the same, and this is the win of our elder brother,” Balak Nath told reporters after Adityanath returned as CM last year.
The BJP has won Tijara from where he is contesting only once, during a wave for the party in 2013. The seat – once the constituency of Rajasthan’s only Muslim CM, Barkatullah Khan – is dominated by Muslims, followed by Yadavs, SCs and Gujjars. In 2018, the seat was won by the BSP’s Sandeep Kumar, who later joined the Congress. Surprising everyone, the Congress did not field Kumar this time but opted for Imran Khan.
November 30, 2023 10:47 am
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