Jaipur, Oct 14 (NationPress) Independent candidate Naresh Meena submitted his nomination papers on Tuesday for the forthcoming bye-election to the Anta Assembly seat located in Rajasthan's Baran district.

Meena arrived at the SDM office in Anta precisely at 12.10 p.m., accompanied by his wife, children, parents, and a multitude of supporters.

He handed his nomination to Returning Officer Hawa Singh. In a display of humility, Meena and his family later prostrated before the public, expressing, “Consider this as my prostration at the feet of the people of Anta -- I seek your blessings.”

Meena sharply criticized former Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya, the Congress candidate for the Anta bypolls, accusing him of gross corruption during his time in office. “The people of Anta entrusted Pramod Jain Bhaya with power twice. He misused it for personal gain and failed to address public issues when he lost,” Meena asserted.

Referring to his activism, Meena stated, “In 2023, I led a protest at the Collectorate advocating for farmers' rights. After that, no farmer had to wait for fertiliser. However, those challenges have resurfaced. Illegal gravel mining is rampant, and while contractors profit, the people of Anta are burdened with exorbitant gravel prices. I am committed to tackling this issue.”

He further pledged to support farmers facing fertiliser shortages, pricing issues, water and electricity shortages, and poor rural road conditions.

Born in 1979 in Naya village, Atru tehsil of Baran district, Meena’s family has a history in local governance, with both his parents serving as village sarpanchs. His wife, Sunita Meena, has been a Zila Parishad member, and his sister-in-law has served on the Panchayat Samiti.

Meena’s nomination follows Pramod Jain Bhaya filing his nomination on October 13.

The BJP has yet to announce its candidate for the bye-election.

Naresh Meena, previously jailed for slapping the Sub-Divisional Magistrate during the 2024 Deoli-Uniyara bye-election, was released from Tonk jail on Monday after eight months of incarceration. While he had obtained bail in the slapping incident, the Rajasthan High Court granted him bail on July 11 in the Samravata violence case, facilitating his release.

The Election Commission has scheduled a bye-election for the Anta Assembly seat in Baran district, with polling set for November 11 and results to be announced on November 14. The seat became vacant following the resignation of Kanwarlal Meena, an ally of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.