Mahant Balaknath Yogi (born 16 April 1984), better known as Baba Balaknath, is an Indian politician and current MLA from Tijara constituency in Rajasthan.[1] He is Chancellor of the Baba Mastnath University (BMU), Rohtak, Haryana.[2] He is also 8th Mahant of the Nath sect of Hinduism.[3] On 29 July 2016, Mahant Chandnath declared Balaknath Yogi as his successor in a ceremony which was attended by Yogi Adityanath and Baba Ramdev.[4][5][6]
He was born in the village of Kohrana in Behror tehsil of Rajasthan, Balaknath Yogi’s roots are deeply embedded in Alwar.[7] 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.[8] He was named Gurumukh by Baba Khetanath in his early age.[9] 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.
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.[10]
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.[11]
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.[12]
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.[13]
