BJP fields Morpal Suman for Anta bypoll in Rajasthan, triangular contest likely

Jaipur, Oct 17 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Morpal Suman, the head of the Baran Panchayat Samiti, as its candidate for the upcoming Anta Assembly bypoll in Rajasthan.

Morpal, a local leader with a low-profile image, is considered a close aide of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

He belongs to the Saini community, which plays a significant role in the constituency’s caste equation -- a key factor in the BJP’s selection process.

After prolonged internal deliberations, party leaders reached a consensus on Morpal’s candidature. While Prabhulal Saini was also in the race for the ticket, the BJP eventually chose Morpal, aligning with feedback suggesting that fielding a Saini community candidate would be crucial in Anta’s political dynamics.

The Anta seat fell vacant in May after sitting MLA Kanwarlal Meena, a staunch Vasundhara Raje supporter, was disqualified following his conviction in a 20-year-old case involving threatening an SDM with a pistol. By law, elections must be held within six months of a seat falling vacant.

The Congress party has fielded Pramod Jain Bhaya, a former minister, while Naresh Meena has entered the fray as an Independent candidate, setting the stage for a triangular contest.

According to the final electoral roll published on October 1, the Anta Assembly constituency has a total of 2,26,227 voters, including 1,15,982 men, 1,10,241 women, and four others. A total of 1,336 new voters were added during the recent voter list revision campaign. Anta has an overall electorate of 2.27 lakh.

Since the BJP came to power, by-elections have been held in seven Assembly seats.

The BJP won five, while Congress secured only one, marking a significant decline from the four seats it previously held.

The BJP's wins include Khinvsar, Deoli-Uniyara, Jhunjhunu, Ramgarh, and Salumbar, while the Congress was reduced to just one seat. Hanuman Beniwal’s RLP also suffered losses. Though the outcome of the Anta by-election won’t affect the stability of the state government, it holds symbolic importance.

A BJP win will be projected as a public endorsement of the government’s performance, while a loss could offer the opposition ammunition to question the ruling party’s popularity and governance.

--IANS

arc/dpb