ArleneLigertwood at 05:07, 8 April 2026

2026-04-08T05:07:04Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Balwant Wankhade
| image =
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term_start = 24 June 2024
| term_end =
| constituency = [[Amravati Lok Sabha constituency|Amravati, Maharashtra]]
| predecessor = [[Navneet Kaur Rana]]
| office1 = [[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly|Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]]
| constituency1 = [[Daryapur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Daryapur]]
| assembly1 = Maharashtra Legislative
| term_start1 = 24 October 2019
| term_end1 = 12 June 2024
| predecessor1 = [[Ramesh Ganpatrao Bundile]]
| successor1 = [[Gajanan Lawate]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1967|7|2}}
| birth_place = [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Manda Balwant Wankhade
| children =
| parents = Baswant Sawanji Wankhade, Sitabai Baswant Wankhade
| occupation =
| source = https://sansad.in/ls/members/biographyM/5713?from=members
}}
'''Balwant Baswant Wankhade''' is an Indian politician serving as a [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]] from [[Amravati Lok Sabha constituency|Amravati]] since June 2024. He is a Member of the [[Indian National Congress]] from [[Maharashtra]].<ref name="Ex-legislators {{!}} In the major league now">{{cite news |last1=India Today |date=13 July 2024 |title=Ex-legislators {{!}} In the major league now |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/18th-lok-sabha-the-debutants/story/20240722-ex-legislators-in-the-major-league-now-2565848-2024-07-13 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806121923/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/18th-lok-sabha-the-debutants/story/20240722-ex-legislators-in-the-major-league-now-2565848-2024-07-13 |archivedate=6 August 2024 |accessdate=6 August 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

== Political career ==
Balwant Wankhede's journey from [[sarpanch]] to [[member of parliament, India|parliamentarian]] has taken place without any political legacy. Before the [[2024 Lok Sabha election]], he was elected from [[Daryapur Assembly constituency]] in the 2019 Maharashtra elections.<ref name="LokSatta_June2024">{{cite news |title=अमरावती : सरपंच ते खासदारकीचा प्रवास! बळवंत वानखडेंच्या राजकीय कारकिर्दीचा चढता आलेख |url=https://www.loksatta.com/nagpur/amravati-journey-from-sarpanch-to-mp-balwant-wankhade-ascending-graph-of-political-career-mma-73-ssb-93-4410099/ |work=Loksatta |language=mr |date=5 June 2024 |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref>

Balwant Wankhade is a resident of Lehgaon in [[Daryapur]] taluka and [[Amravati district]] of [[Maharashtra]]. His political career started from 2005. He was a member of Lehgaon Gram Panchayat till 2010. He also served as [[Sarpanch]].<ref name="LokSatta_June2024"/>

Balwant Wankhade served in various capacities in the [[Republican Party of India (Gavai)]], being close to party leaders [[R. S. Gavai]] and D. J. Wakpanjar. After being elected as a member of the Amravati District Council in 2012, he also served as the Health and Finance Chairman. He was the Chairman of Amravati District Council from 2017 to 2019. Balwant Wankhade also worked in the cooperative sector. From 2005 to 2020, he was the Director of Daryapur Agricultural Produce Market Committee. Also worked as Director of Amravati District Central Co-operative Bank.<ref name="LokSatta_June2024"/>

[[File:Campaign vehicle of Balwant Wankhade Amravati.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Campaign of Balwant Wankhade during 2024 General Elections|Campaign of Balwant Wankhade during 2024 General Elections]]

In 2009, he contested as an independent from the Daryapur Assembly constituency, where he lost, but got the second highest number of votes. [[Daryapur Assembly constituency]] is reserved for [[Scheduled Castes]] (SC).<ref name="LokSatta_June2024"/>

In the 2014 assembly elections, he contested as a candidate of [[Republican Party of India (Gavai)|RPI(G)]] from Daryapur. This time too he had to face defeat. But, in 2019, he contested as a Congress Party candidate and was elected with more than 30,000 votes. He resigned from his MLA on 12 June 2024 after being elected as MP in [[Amravati Lok Sabha constituency]] on 4 June 2024.<ref name="LokSatta_June2024"/>

Amravati Lok Sabha Constituency is reserved for [[Scheduled Castes]]. [[Navneet Kaur Rana]]'s independent candidature in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was supported by the [[Indian National Congress]] and the [[Nationalist Congress Party]]. However, she supported the BJP government at the center immediately after the elections. Due to this, the [[Maha Vikas Aghadi]] fielded Balwant Wankhede against Navneet Rana during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.<ref name="LokSatta_June2024"/>

Wankhade won the [[Amravati Lok Sabha constituency]] in the [[2024 Indian general election in Maharashtra|2024 Lok Sabha election]]. He defeated BJP candidate and then MP [[Navneet Kaur Rana]]. He was elected with almost 20,000 votes. On 24 June 2024, Wankhede took oath as a [[member of parliament]] in the [[Lok Sabha]]. He is one of the three [[Buddhist]] MPs in the [[18th Lok Sabha]].<ref>https://www.dhammabharat.com/buddhist-mps-in-18th-loksabha/</ref>

==Personal life==
Balwant Wankhade is a [[Buddhist]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hiwale |first=Sandesh |date=31 March 2024 |title=महाराष्ट्रात बौद्ध समाजाला राजकीय प्रतिनिधित्व किती असायला हवे आणि किती आहे? |url=https://www.dhammabharat.com/political-representation-of-buddhists-in-maharashtra/ |website=Dhamma Bharat |language=mr |access-date=26 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=अमरावती : बौद्ध मतांचे विभाजन टाळा- गुणवंत देवपारे बळवंत वानखडे यांच्या विजयासाठी केले आवाहन |url=https://marathi.hindusthansamachar.in/Encyc/2024/4/17/Avoid-division-of-opinion-in-the-Buddhist.php |work=Hindusthan Samachar |language=mr |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=26 April 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Deshpande |first1=Alok |date=26 April 2024 |title=In Maharashtra's 8 seats, shifting caste equations, Oppn focus on local issues unsettle ruling NDA |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/maharashtra-8-seats-caste-equations-oppn-focus-local-issues-nda-9290348/ |work=The Indian Express |access-date=3 July 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wankhade, Balwant}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 2019–2024]]
[[Category:Indian Buddhists]]
[[Category:Marathi politicians]]
[[Category:Dalit politicians]]
[[Category:Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance candidates in 2024 Indian general election]]
[[Category:India MPs 2024–2029]]
[[Category:1967 births]]

Balwant Wankhade - Revision history

ArleneLigertwood at 05:07, 8 April 2026