Hanuman Beniwal, the leader of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and the elected representative of the Nagaur Lok Sabha constituency, has voiced his displeasure at not receiving an invitation to the INDIA bloc meeting held in Delhi.
Expressing resentment over not being called for the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, Beniwal said, “The meeting was held twice – on June 1 and June 5 in which I was not invited. Why was I not invited? When small parties from the south were invited, why was Hanuman Beniwal not invited?”
He mentioned that he had a phone conversation with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, during which Kharge apologized for not including him in the meeting.
He said, “If such a mistake is made, then it is a blunder. Every single MP is needed in the country, and people like Hanuman Beniwal are forgotten. Congress should celebrate that the INDIA bloc has brought 11 seats in Rajasthan, but do we (RLP) not have a role in bringing 11? I got three lakh votes of Congress, but 20 lakh votes of RLP went to Congress, due to which they got so many seats.”
Beniwal accused the Congress of fracturing his party by persuading Ummeda Ram Beniwal, a leader, to leave RLP in Barmer and join Congress as their candidate. “On one hand, they were talking of alliance with me, and on the other hand, they were breaking my party.”
He, on the other hand, refuted any speculation about joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and reiterated his dedication to staying within the INDIA bloc.
Ummeda Ram Beniwal switched from RLP to Congress before the Lok Sabha elections. He secured victory in the Barmer constituency, triumphing over Union minister and BJP candidate Kailash Chaudhary.
Sachin Pilot, a senior Congress leader, shared optimism regarding the future of the alliance following Hanuman’s comments. The Pilot commented on the progress, expressing a positive outlook. “Whoever is in the INDIA bloc is there, and today they remain part of the alliance. I believe that in the coming time, more will join the alliance.”
The INDIA coalition, led by Congress, convened its inaugural gathering on Wednesday following its notable advancements in the 2024 Lok Sabha election outcomes. The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) is a member of the INDIA coalition.