Mahant Balaknath
{{short description|Indian politician and spiritual leader (born 1984)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mahant Balaknath
| image = MP Alwar Rajasthan.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1984|04|16}}
| birth_place = Kohrana, Rajasthan, India
| residence = Tijara, Rajasthan, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office =
| termstart =
| termend =
| governor =
| predecessor =
| office2 = Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
| termstart2 = 3 December 2023
| constituency2 = Tijara
| predecessor2 = Sandeep Yadav
| office3 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
| termstart3 = 23 May 2019
| constituency3 = Alwar
| predecessor3 = Karan Singh Yadav
| successor3 = Bhupender Yadav
| nationality =
| party = Bharatiya Janata Party
| occupation = Politician, monk
| alma_mater =
| website = {{url|yogibalaknath.in}}
| footnotes =
| source =
| module = {{Infobox religious biography|embed=yes
| religion = Hinduism
| denomination = Shaivism
| school = Yoga
| sect = Nath Sampradaya
| lineage = Baba Mastnath
| guru = Mahant Chandnath
| disciples =
| post = Mahant
| temple = Baba Mastnath Math
| institute = Baba Mastnath University
| ordination = 2016
| period = 2016–present
| predecessor = Mahant Chandnath
| successor =
}}
| termend3 = 7 December 2023
}}
Mahant Balaknath Yogi (born 16 April 1984), better known as Baba Balaknath, is an Indian politician and current MLA from Tijara constituency in Rajasthan.{{Cite news |last=Mishra |first=Ishita |date=3 December 2023 |title=BJP's Hindutva outreach plays out well with all four 'babas' winning in Rajasthan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/rajasthan-assembly/bjps-hindutva-outreach-plays-out-well-with-all-four-babas-winning-in-rajasthan/article67601314.ece |access-date=4 December 2023 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} He is Chancellor of the Baba Mastnath University (BMU), Rohtak, Haryana.{{Cite web |title=The Beacons of Society |url=http://babamastnathuniversity.com/NEWS/Information_Brochure-C18.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827113319/http://babamastnathuniversity.com/NEWS/Information_Brochure-C18.pdf |archive-date=27 August 2018 |access-date=12 October 2018}} He is also 8th Mahant of the Nath sect of Hinduism.{{cite web|title=Cong expects tough contest in pampered constituency|url=http://hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/cong-expects-tough-contest-in-pampered-constituency/story-i8VTQDeVX7as4Du2al5a3H.html|work=Hindustan Times|date=12 September 2014 |accessdate=12 October 2018}} On 29 July 2016, Mahant Chandnath declared Balaknath Yogi as his successor in a ceremony which was attended by Yogi Adityanath and Baba Ramdev.{{cite web|title=महंत चांदनाथ ने तय किया अपना उत्तराधिकारी, मौजूद रहे बाबा रामदेव|url=http://www.amarujala.com/chandigarh/baba-mastnath-math-mahant-chand-nath-announced-his-successor|publisher=अमर उजाला|accessdate=12 October 2018}}{{cite news|title=Baba Mast Nath Matth gets New Mahant|newspaper=Tribuneindia News Service |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/baba-mast-nath-matth-gets-new-mahant/469765.html|publisher=tribuneindia.com|accessdate=12 October 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/alwar-mp-dies-three-cms-attend-samadhi-ceremony/468647.html |title=Alwar MP dies, three CMs attend 'samadhi' ceremony |website=www.tribuneindia.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041728/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/alwar-mp-dies-three-cms-attend-samadhi-ceremony/468647.html |archive-date=24 January 2019}}
Early life
He was born in the village of Kohrana in Behror tehsil of Rajasthan, Balaknath Yogi’s roots are deeply embedded in Alwar.{{cite web |url=https://hindi.theprint.in/elections/yogi-of-rajasthan-who-is-mahant-balaknath-who-is-in-the-news-with-the-rise-of-bjp-in-rajasthan/635496/|title=राजस्थान का योगी', कौन हैं महंत बालकनाथ, जो राजस्थान में BJP की बढ़त के साथ ही चर्चा में हैं|date=3 December 2023 }} Coming from an agricultural family, he took his first steps into sannyasa at the age of six-and-a-half, prompting him to leave home and seek solace in an ashram.{{Cite web |date=3 December 2023 |title=Rajasthan CM Candidate: Who Is Mahant Balak Nath Yogi, BJP's Probable Choice? |url=https://www.news18.com/elections/rajasthan-assembly-election-2023-result-who-is-mahant-balak-nath-yogi-all-you-need-to-know-about-bjp-candidate-why-is-yogi-important-in-tijara-constituency-8689159.html |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=News18 |language=en}} He was named Gurumukh by Baba Khetanath in his early age.{{cite web | url=https://www.patrika.com/alwar-news/mahant-balaknath-yogi-history-alwar-loksabha-seat-candidate-balaknath-4354321/ | title=महंत बालकनाथ ने 6 साल की उम्र में ही ले लिया था संन्यास, जानिए उनके संन्यासी बनने से लेकर राजनीति में कदम रखने की कहानी | Mahant Balaknath Yogi History Alwar Loksabha Seat Candidate Balaknath | date=30 March 2019 }} He used to live in Matsyendra Maharaj Ashram from 1985-1991 (up to age of 6) after that he moved to a Math in village Nathawali Theri in Hanumangarh district with Mahant Chandnath.
Political career
Mahant Balaknath Yogi's political foray was shaped by his Guru, Mahant Chandnath, a former Member of Parliament from Alwar. Following in his mentor's footsteps, Balaknath Yogi succeeded him as the head of the Baba Mastnath Mutt in Haryana. A key influencer in his political journey is also the support of yoga guru Baba Ramdev. As Balaknath Yogi traverses the campaign trail, a dedicated team from Mahendragarh in Haryana accompanies him, underlining the widespread backing he enjoys.{{Cite news |date=3 December 2023 |title=Mahant Balak Nath Yogi: All you need to know about BJP candidate from Rajasthan's Tijara constituency |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/rajasthan-assembly-election-2023-result-who-is-mahant-balak-nath-yogi-all-you-need-to-know-about-bjp-candidate-from-tijara-constituency/articleshow/105693829.cms |access-date=3 December 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}
Balaknath, emerging as a controversial figure in political circles, has gained attention for his provocative statements and unorthodox comparisons. In a widely circulated video, he drew a parallel between his political contest against Imran Khan and an India-Pakistan cricket match. Asserting that the battle extends beyond mere victory, Balaknath emphasised the significance of securing a favourable voting percentage. He expressed concerns about minority communities uniting against the Sanatan Dharma and highlighted the need to thwart such plans through electoral success.{{Cite news |title=Mastnath Math Head Potential CM Candidate In Rajastgan |newspaper=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/mastnath-math-prepares-ladoos-in-hope-of-balak-nath-becoming-raj-cm-rohtak/articleshow/105853469.cms}}
He was nominated as Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for Lok Sabha from Alwar, Rajasthan and he won the elections in 2019 by defeating Bhanwar Jitendra Singh of Indian National Congress by a margin of 3 Lakh votes.{{cite web | url=https://www.india.com/hindi-news/lok-sabha-elections-2019-india/bjp-announces-candidates-for-lok-sabha-seats-in-rajasthan-mahant-balak-nath-will-contest-from-alwar/amp/#referrer=https://www.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s | title=अलवर सीट पर भाजपा ने महंत बालकनाथ को बनाया प्रत्याशी, जानिए क्या है यहां का समीकरण | date=29 March 2019 }}
He resigned from the post of Lok Sabha MP on 7 December 2023 after winning from the Tijara constituency in the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly Elections.{{Cite web |title=Election |url=https://results.eci.gov.in/AcResultGenDecNew2023/partywiseresult-S20.htm |access-date=7 December 2023 |website=results.eci.gov.in}}
See also
- Mahant Shreyonath sixth Mahant of the Nath sect.
- Mahant Chandnath seventh Mahant of the Nath sect.
References
{{reflist}}
{{17th LS members from Rajasthan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balaknath, Mahant}}
Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Rajasthan