Hanuman Beniwal (born 2 March 1972; Hindi pronunciation: [ɦən̪ʊmaːn̪ beːn̪iːʋaːl]) is an Indian politician, farmer leader and founder of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), known for advocating the farmer rights and opposing corruption. He is serving as Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Nagaur since 2019. He is president and national convener of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party. He has been elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for four-terms from Khinvsar constituency since 2008. He is also a two term member of Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament from Nagaur.
Born in Nagaur district of Rajasthan, he pursued Bachelor of Laws from University of Rajasthan. His political journey began in student politics as president of the Rajasthan University Student Union in 1997, later joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), before breaking away in 2013 to form Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) after accusing BJP leaders of corruption. Known for advocating farmer rights, he resigned from three parliamentary committee and broke ties with the BJP during 2020 farmers protest.
Early life and education
Beniwal was born on 2 March 1972 to Ramdev Beniwal and Mohini Devi in Barangaon village of Nagaur district in Rajasthan. He belongs to Jat community. He did Bachelor of Arts from University of Rajasthan in 1993 and then he did Bachelor of Laws in 1998.
His younger brother Narayan Beniwal, is a former member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. His father Ramdev Beniwal was also a two term member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Mundwa constituency.
Political career
Student politics
Beniwal was initially exposed to politics due to his political family as his father, Ramdev Beniwal, became a Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Mundwa constituency for two terms in 1977 and 1985. He first entered politics when he became president of Rajasthan College in 1995 and then he became president of the Rajasthan University Student Union in 1997, having previously won the University Law College in 1996.
Mainstream Indian politics
- Beniwal was elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for the first time after the 2008 Rajasthan assembly elections. He was a member of the Bhartiya Janta Party and won the elections by defeating his rival BSP candidate Durg Singh, by a margin of 24,443 votes.
- In 2013, Beniwal's persistent claims against prominent party leaders, such as Rajendra Rathore and Vasundhara Raje, led to his suspension from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to Beniwal, they were "thoroughly corrupt," and there was a corrupt relationship between Raje and Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister at the time.
- In the 2013 Rajasthan assembly elections, he won the elections for a second term as an independent candidate from Khinvsar constituency by defeating a BJP rival by a margin of 23,020 votes.
- He successfully organised five Kisan Hunkar Maha Rallies in Nagaur, Barmer, Bikaner, Sikar, Jaipur and launched a political party called Rashtriya Loktantrik Party with an election symbol of "Bottle" in Jaipur on 29 October 2018.
- In the 2018 Rajasthan assembly elections, he won the elections for third consecutive term as a member of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party by defeating INC Candidate Savai Singh Choudhary with a margin of 16,948 votes.
- In 2019 Lok Sabha election, Beniwal won from Nagaur seat in alliance with BJP and became member of the parliament for the first time.
- On the eve of 2019 Rajasthan Assembly By-elections Rashtriya Loktantrik Party gave ticket to Narayan Beniwal from Khinvsar constituency and he won the By-election and was elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for the first time.
- In 2023, Beniwal won Rajasthan Assembly elections by defeating BJP's Rewant Ram with a margin of 2059 votes. Beniwal secured his seat in Rajasthan assembly for consecutive fourth term.
- In 2024, Beniwal won Indian general elections from Nagaur Constituency in alliance with INC by defeating BJP candidate Jyoti Mirdha with a margin of 42,225 votes. Beniwal secured his seat in Lok Sabha for consecutive second term.
- After the 2024 Indian general elections, the Khinvsar Assembly seat is vacant as Beniwal resigned from the 16th Rajasthan Assembly after being elected to the 18th Lok Sabha. Beniwal gave RLP ticket to his wife, Kanika Beniwal, for the 2024 Rajasthan Assembly by-election for the Khinvsar seat.
- On the eve of the 2024 Rajasthan Assembly by-elections, Beniwal fielded his wife Kanika from the Khinvsar constituency on the ticket of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, but Kanika lost the by-elections to the BJP's Rewant Ram Danga. Khinvsar seat is considered a bastion for the Beniwal family because since the creation of this constituency in 2008, Hanuman won this seat four times, i.e., in 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023, and his younger brother Narayan in 2019 by-elections. It was the first time since the creation of the Khinvsar constituency that a person outside the Beniwal family won this seat in 2024 by RLP former member and BJP's Rewant Ram Danga. In the 2024 Rajasthan by-elections, both Congress and BJP fielded their candidates against RLP Kanika Beniwal, and also two influential political families from the Jat community, i.e., Mirdha and Maderna, criticised Beniwal in the by-elections
Farmer protest
At the time, Beniwal was a Member of Parliament (MP) from Nagaur in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party that introduced the farm laws. His farmer background and history of advocating agrarian issues made him a natural ally for the protesting farmers, despite his initial alignment with the National Democratic Alliance. Beniwal mobilised Rajasthan farmers, planned a march to Delhi, and supported the Bharat Bandh on 8 December 2020. Beniwal announced his resignation from three parliamentary committees and declared that the RLP was breaking its alliance with the NDA over the farm laws, accusing the central government of ignoring the plight of farmers.
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party
On 29 October 2018, Beniwal founded the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), becoming its president and national convenor in the process. This made him one of the most influential politicians of Rajasthan since Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) is the only successful party in the state besides Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. As a member of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), beniwal won four elections, out of which two were assembly elections (2018 and 2023) while two were Indian general elections (2019 and 2024). RLP fielded their candidates in two assembly elections (2018 and 2023). In 2018 elections three members of RLP won while in 2023 elections this number reduced to one i.e. beniwal himself.
Membership in governing bodies
In December 2024, Beniwal became member of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur governing body along with P.P. Chaudhary.
Electoral history
Beniwal in his career contested seven elections, out of which four of them were assembly elections while three were general parliamentary elections and he won six elections out of these seven elections, had lost one general election in 2014.
Lok Sabha elections
General election 2024
General election 2019
General election 2014
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections
Legislative Assembly elections 2023
Legislative Assembly elections 2018
Legislative Assembly elections 2013
Legislative Assembly elections 2008
Personal life
He married Kanika Beniwal on 9 December 2009. The couple has two children: a son named Ashutosh and a daughter named Diya. He is a follower and disciple of the Rajasthani folk hero-deity Veer Teja. Kanika hails from Sri Ganganagar and did Bachelor of Science from Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur. On the eve of 2024 Rajasthan Assembly By-elections, Kanika filed nomination from Khinwsar as a member of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party but lost to BJP Rewant Ram Danga by 13,901 votes.
References
External links
- Hanuman Beniwal on Twitter
- Beniwal, Shri Hanuman - Digital Sansad
