Who has BJP nominated for Anta bypoll in Rajasthan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Morpal Suman represents the BJP in the Anta bypoll.
- The Anta seat became vacant due to Kanwarlal Meena's disqualification.
- Anta has a total electorate of 226,227 voters.
- The contest includes candidates from BJP, Congress, and as an Independent.
- A BJP win could bolster the government’s credibility.
Jaipur, Oct 17 (NationPress) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put forward Morpal Suman, the leader of the Baran Panchayat Samiti, as its candidate for the forthcoming Anta Assembly by-election in Rajasthan.
Morpal, a grassroots leader with a modest profile, is viewed as a close associate of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
He is part of the Saini community, which holds considerable influence in the constituency's caste dynamics -- a pivotal aspect in the BJP's candidate selection.
After extensive internal discussions, party officials reached a consensus on Morpal’s nomination. Although Prabhulal Saini was also considered, the BJP ultimately opted for Morpal, in line with feedback indicating that presenting a Saini community candidate is vital for Anta’s political landscape.
The Anta seat became available in May when the sitting MLA, Kanwarlal Meena, a devoted supporter of Vasundhara Raje, was disqualified due to a conviction stemming from a 20-year-old incident where he threatened an SDM with a firearm. Elections are mandated by law to occur within six months following a vacancy.
The Congress party has nominated Pramod Jain Bhaya, a former minister, while Naresh Meena has entered the contest as an Independent candidate, setting the stage for a triangular contest.
As per the final electoral roll released on October 1, the Anta Assembly constituency has a total of 226,227 voters, comprising 115,982 men, 110,241 women, and four others. 1,336 new voters were added during the recent voter list revision campaign. Anta boasts an overall electorate of 2.27 lakh.
Since the BJP assumed power, by-elections have occurred in seven Assembly seats.
The BJP won five, while the Congress managed to secure only one, indicating a notable downturn from the four seats it previously held.
The BJP’s victories include Khinvsar, Deoli-Uniyara, Jhunjhunu, Ramgarh, and Salumbar, while the Congress was reduced to just one seat. Hanuman Beniwal’s RLP also faced losses. Although the outcome of the Anta by-election won’t jeopardize the stability of the state government, it carries symbolic significance.
A BJP victory will be portrayed as a public endorsement of the government’s performance, while a loss could provide the opposition with leverage to challenge the ruling party’s popularity and governance.