Alwar: In Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate from Tijara assembly constituency is framing his upcoming electoral battle with the Congress’s Imran Khan as an “us” versus “them” issue or an “India-Pakistan match”.
In his campaign speeches, Mahant Balak Nath Yogi aka Baba Balaknath has been touching upon the status of infrastructure, education, and health in the Mewat region, emphasising an alleged disparity in the Congress government’s approach in the state towards Hindus and Muslims. His pointed pitch is against those who, according to him, follow “Talibani” principles, asserting that their influence has hindered development in Mewat, which has a sizable Muslim population.
Speaking at Tijara’s Shekhpur Jatt village on 11 November, Balaknath asked villagers to find plots to build a temple and a shamshaan ghaat (cremation ground) — demands for which have been made in the past. “I’ll be back right after the elections and the shilanyas (foundations) will be done. Don’t worry,” he assured the villagers.
Tijara constituency has a sizable population of Meo Muslims as well as Yadavs and Dalits. According to estimates by analysts in the state, there are about 1,90,000 Hindus and 70,000 Muslims in the constituency. Of the Hindus, Yadavs are estimated to make up about 65,000; Baniyas make up about 16,000; and Jatav Dalits, 13,000.
Tijara Assembly seat is part of the Alwar Lok Sabha constituency that Balaknath, of the Yadav community, currently represents as an MP.
Focusing on the Congress’s alleged lack of focus towards development in Hindu-dominated villages, Balaknath asked those in Indor village, which has a dominant Ahir population, if toilets had been built in every household. (Ahirs are an Other Backward Class community in Rajasthan who identify as Yadavs.)
When there was no response, he told them to speak up without fear.
“Himmat se kaam lo. You have to stay here. No one can shoo you away from here. This is your home, your land,” he said.
“These schemes have been in place since 2014. But they (Congress leaders) don’t want the benefits of these to reach you. Education is also a big issue. There’s a school in this village but it does not have the quality of education that the school across the street has,” he added, referring to the adjoining village with a dominant Muslim population. This village, he claims, has better infrastructure — a result of the Congress’s minority appeasement.
Speaking to ThePrint, though, Balaknath doesn’t explicitly mention the Muslim community. He does, however, describe the electoral battle as an “India-Pakistan” match. “It’s going to be close,” he added.
He alleged that there is “crime and poverty” in the area which is perpetuated by “them” and said that he will work towards correcting this.
“This area has been very oppressed,” he said. “During the Congress regime, instances of unlawful activities have increased. Just like frogs come out during monsoon season, similarly, criminal elements who remain dormant otherwise, come out during Congress rule,” he alleged.
The sitting MLA from Tijara is Sandeep Kumar, a Yadav who fought on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket, but later joined the Congress. Balaknath’s main competitors now are Imran Khan from the Congress and Udmi Ram Poswal of the Azad Samaj Party. While accusing Khan of being a “Talibani”, he claimed that Poswal has been propped up by the Congress to divide Hindu votes.
“The Congress is doing communal politics. They have oppressed everyone and are now trying to divide the Hindu community,” he said. “No one wants him (Khan). Even the Meo Muslims here are calling him ‘Talibani’. They are scared of him. He’s the biggest thekedaar (self-appointed custodian). He’s a vote ka thekedaar. He has influenced our Muslim brothers from the Meo society and now does thekedaari for votes.”
“Development was not allowed to happen here. If there’s development, there will be prosperity. People will be educated and become aware and no longer be dependent on these people (the Congress). They engage people in unlawful activities. If the youth is involved in illegal activities, they will always need the help of powerful people,” Balaknath added, holding crime in the constituency responsible for the “rift” between Hindu and Muslim communities.
He also listed instances where the Congress has favoured the Muslim community at the expense of development of Hindus.
“When the Karauli incident (2022 Hindu-Muslim violence) happened, the Congress government did not take cognizance of that or arrest the criminals. A cow smuggler died recently. His family was given Rs 50 lakh as compensation. In the past five years, there have been brutal murders of innocents in Alwar, but they didn’t even get the Rs 2-2.5 lakh that is usually announced, even after considerable pressure. So, who is doing appeasement politics? Who gave permission to (banned organisation) Popular Front of India? Who wanted the Hindu Bhagwa flags to be removed? Who gave permission to put a stop to Hindu religious yatras?” he asked.
“In Jodhpur, during Ramzan, a certain area in which our Muslim brothers stay, suddenly got electricity, light and water. Who passed this order? We have proof. If you’re giving electricity or light, then give it everywhere. No one should get special treatment,” he said.
ThePrint reached the team of Congress’s Imran Khan via calls on WhatsApp and text messages. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
‘We‘ll install Balaknath in Jaipur’
Balaknath’s entry into the Tijara constituency — which the BJP has won just once in 2013 since 1967 — has been rocky. He was nominated instead of Mamman Yadav of the BJP, a former MLA from the constituency. After the announcement in early October, Balaknath was met with protests in Tijara by Mamman Yadav’s supporters. However, the two seem to have put aside their differences and Mamman now participates in Balaknath’s campaigns.
While there has been speculation about Balaknath being among BJP’s contenders for the post of chief minister, he told ThePrint, “There’s nothing like that. This is not a topic at all. I’m just engaged in party’s work,” he said.
But this narrative seems to be helping consolidate the Yadav vote.
“Balaknath has come to us like God,” Narendra Kumar Yadav, a truck driver by profession and a resident of Tijara’s Luhadera village. “We will make him win for sure. Not just that, we’ll place him in Jaipur as well.”
“There have been Muslim MLAs from Tijara but they have done nothing for the Hindus. The Muslims have oppressed us Hindus a lot and the Congress supports them. The Muslims harass our daughters and tease them when they go to college. There is a lot of theft. Our main problem is that there is a lot of disharmony and terrorist activities in Tijara. Babaji (Balaknath) will focus on it for sure,” he added.
In the state, Balaknath is known as “Rajasthan ka Yogi” and often uses the bulldozer trope used by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in his campaigns. Adityanath was also present for Balaknath’s nomination.
“We want Baba to become CM and for there to be Yogi Raj in Rajasthan too,” said Ajay Pandit, another Luhadera resident. “Baba is a sant (saint) and sants are worshipped in Hindu religion. He’s a BJP candidate and the BJP talks about Sanatana Dharma (described as set of duties incumbent upon all Hindus). The Muslims have, in the past, thrown stones and used guns in our religious processions. The way their population is growing, Sanatana Dharma is definitely under threat”, he adds.
Balaknath, however, has expressed support for Vasundhara Raje as CM in the past. The former CM and one of the party’s biggest leaders in the state, was sidelined by the BJP high command ahead of the elections.
“I had said that because Vasundhara Raje has been CM twice. Till now, the party has not declared anybody. The party can choose anybody as CM candidate but it is natural that she is one of the contenders,” he told ThePrint.
Azad Samaj Party candidate’s local appeal
While Balaknath says that Azad Samaj Party’s Udmi Poswal may play spoiler for him in the constituency, he also believes his candidacy may have the Congress worried as Muslims in some parts of Tijara seem to be rallying around him.
In the Muslim-dominated Milakpuri village, Irshad Khan, a 32-year-old shopkeeper, says the fight is not merely between the Congress and the BJP.
“There are not two but three main contenders in Tijara,” he said. “Our Udmi bhai is a strong contender. We want some change this time around. He is a one of us. We know him personally. He will bring development here. We don’t want either the Congress or the BJP. Both these parties do Hindu-Muslim (politics) and capture votes, but nobody turns up after that,” he added.
Aqeel Khan, a 22-year-old student, like Irshad, also emphasises that Udmi being a local candidate gives him an advantage over both Balaknath and Imran Khan.
“Baba Balaknath is already threatening us. He’s talking about bulldozers. Imran Khan is also not from here. We want a local. Last time, too, we voted for a local but he went to the Congress”, he said.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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