Sirsa's Santosh Beniwal only woman among 32 newly appointed district Congress presidents

Santosh Beniwal, national president of the sarpanch association and sarpanch of Darba Kalan village, has been appointed the new Sirsa district Congress president, the only woman among the 32 district chiefs announced by the party in Haryana on Tuesday night. Known for her bold image and “dabang” leadership style, she is a prominent political face in the region.

Her appointment led to grand celebrations in Darba Kalan, where fireworks lit up the night sky. Santosh went live on Facebook to share the moment with her supporters. She is considered close to Sirsa MP Kumari Selja and is very active on social media.

Santosh has also been in the news for controversies. In 2022, shortly after winning the sarpanch election, a video went viral showing her dancing and firing seven rounds from a pistol at a wedding function to the tune of “Mitran Nu Shauk Hathiyaran Da”. Following the uproar, the then Sirsa SP Arpit Jain ordered an investigation, and a case was registered under the Arms Act and IT Act. Santosh maintained that the video was two years old and the weapon had already been deposited with the police.

She is the wife of ‘Kalu Contractor’, brother of Ellenabad MLA Bharat Singh Beniwal. Darba Kalan is a politically sensitive village with a history of rivalry between the families of Bharat Singh Beniwal and former Rajya Sabha MP Vidya Beniwal, often clashing in sarpanch and assembly polls.

In the recent Ellenabad assembly elections, Santosh played a crucial role in securing Bharat Singh Beniwal’s win. Earlier, she defeated Shruti Beniwal, wife of former BJP candidate and now INLD leader Pawan Beniwal, in the sarpanch election. With her bold image and growing political clout, Santosh’s new role is expected to further strengthen her influence in Sirsa’s political landscape.