Hanuman Beniwal Biography: Early Life, Education, Family, and Political Career

Name: Hanuman Beniwal

Mother's Name: Smt. Mohini Devi

Father's Name: Ramdev Beniwal

Hanuman Beniwal Education: BA (1993), LLB – University of Rajasthan (1998)

Hanuman Beniwal Date of Birth: March 2, 1972

Place of Birth: Barangaon (Nagaur)

Occupation/Profession: Agriculturalist, Member of Parliament

Hanuman Beniwal Political Party: Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP)

Designation: MP – Nagaur

Hanuman Beniwal wife name: Kanika Beniwal

Hanuman Beniwal Children: Ashutosh Beniwal & Diya Beniwal

Hanuman Beniwal Caste & Religion: Jat, Hindu

Hanuman Beniwal Political Career

The late Ramdev Choudhary, father of Hanuman Beniwal, was a two-time MLA from the Mundwa constituency in Rajasthan. He was a close associate of the prominent Jat leader Nathuram Mirdha. In the 1977 tsunami of the Janata Party, when there was widespread opposition to the Congress party, Ramdev Choudhary caused a surprise by winning his maiden assembly election from Mundwa. At that time, Hanuman Beniwal was just five years old.

He went on to win the Mundwa seat again in 1985, this time on the ticket of Lok Dal. As a child, Beniwal witnessed political activities in his surroundings, likely sparking his interest in politics from an early age.

As the saying goes, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Hanuman Beniwal started his political journey in student politics. He became the President of the University of Rajasthan in 1997. Before that, he had won two more elections in student politics.

He contested his first assembly election in 2003 from the Mundwa seat, which his father had represented in the past. He was a candidate from the INLD, the party of Om Prakash Chautala. However, Beniwal lost this election to Usha Punia from the BJP.

His first win in an assembly election came in 2008 as a BJP candidate, a party which is now a target of his attacks. Beniwal won this election from Khinwsar, a seat that would become his stronghold in the coming years.

Though he had won on a BJP ticket, he soon fell out with Vasundhara Raje. He continued to make allegations in the assembly during those days and missed no opportunity to target Raje. Soon, he was shown the door by the party. In the 2013 election, he stood as an independent candidate from Khinwsar and won the seat again.

His political style involved attacking both the Congress and the BJP. He regularly made allegations against Raje and Ashok Gehlot and needed a platform to continue his style of politics.

Formation of RLP

In 2018, an election year in the state, Hanuman Beniwal founded the RLP on October 29. He contested the subsequent assembly election from Khinwsar on his newly founded party’s ticket and not only won his own seat but also helped his party win two more seats.

His electoral success continued in the Lok Sabha elections. Sensing his growing popularity, especially among the Jat community in the Nagaur region, the BJP forged an alliance with him. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he won the Nagaur seat as a candidate of the NDA. After winning the Lok Sabha election, he had to vacate his assembly seat, and his brother, Narayan Beniwal, stepped into his shoes. Relying on Hanuman’s charisma, Narayan won the election.

In 2023, Hanuman Beniwal once again won the assembly election, but he then fought the 2024 Lok Sabha election and became an MP for the second time. Now, his wife is contesting the Khinwsar seat, which was vacated by him.

Split with NDA

As mentioned above, in 2019, Beniwal contested the Nagaur parliamentary seat as an NDA candidate after his party RLP and the BJP joined hands. During the second term of the Modi government, the farmers' agitation against the three contentious laws became a major challenge for the BJP leaders. They were facing protests from farmers, and even the opposition, led by the Congress party, had rallied against them. In Rajasthan, many parts of the state, including Nagaur, where Beniwal had significant influence, had sentiments against the BJP government. As a result, Beniwal, whose voter base is primarily agrarian and Jat, decided to end the partnership with the NDA and left the alliance in 2020.

Political History/Timeline

1997 – President of University of Rajasthan

2005 – Member, Zila Parishad, Nagaur

2008-2019 – 3-term MLA, Khinwsar

2009 – Member of Parliament, Nagaur

Dec 2023 – June 2024 – MLA, Khinwsar

June 2024 onwards – MP, Nagaur

Hanuman Beniwal Achievements

Hanuman Beniwal is credited with the rise of a significant third political force, other than the BJP and Congress, in Rajasthan. The state has seen few such parties that have managed to make a mark in state politics. In recent years, leaders like Ghanshyam Tiwari and Kirodilal Meena, who launched their own parties, failed to gain a foothold. However, Beniwal’s RLP has become a force to reckon with in parts of the state.

Hanuman Beniwal Controversies

Hanuman Beniwal regularly makes media headlines with his controversial statements against his opponents. His penchant for diatribes against former CMs Ashok Gehlot and Vasundhara Raje is well known. He doesn't shy away from making personal and below-the-belt attacks against his opponents. Congress leader and former MLA Divya Maderna is also a target of his regular vitriol.