Jaipur, Nov 14 (NationPress) The Congress party's Pramod Jain Bhaya achieved a significant win in the Anta by-election in Rajasthan, garnering 69,571 votes.

He triumphed over BJP’s Morpal Suman, who obtained 53,959 votes, with a margin of 15,612 votes. Independent candidate Naresh Meena ranked third, with 53,800 votes, narrowly missing out on surpassing the BJP candidate.

In response to the election outcomes, BJP state president Madan Rathod acknowledged the people's decision.

State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara praised Bhaya, asserting that the win was a public affirmation of “trust and development”.

After his defeat, Naresh Meena shared an emotional message with his supporters. “I bow my head to the love and blessings people have given me. Our fight was against corruption. Honesty lost—corruption won,” he stated.

Meena emphasized that this setback would serve as a test of determination and vowed to return stronger: “Perhaps something was lacking in our sacrifice. Now we will work with double the strength.”

The counting day was filled with excitement and large crowds. Naresh Meena arrived at the center riding on a jeep, greeted by enthusiastic chants from his supporters. Many gathered outside Bhaya’s home early in the morning, some touching his feet in celebration.

At the counting venue, the atmosphere intensified with slogans upon Meena’s arrival, necessitating increased security measures.

BJP candidate Morpal Suman arrived early and expressed confidence in his chances of winning. Before counting began, Bhaya and his wife visited a cow shelter for prayers. The counting started at 8 a.m., beginning with the ballot papers.

Live updates revealed that Bhaya maintained his lead through most rounds, ultimately sealing his victory. His wife, Urmila Jain, expressed gratitude, stating, “Baran is our family. The public has trusted us despite the indecent language used during the campaign.”

Celebrations erupted after noon as Congress supporters ignited firecrackers at Pratap Chowk once trends confirmed Bhaya’s lead.

Bhaya had previously accused the BJP of “betraying the public” and obstructing welfare initiatives in Baran. By morning, crowds outside his home swelled, with supporters congratulating him as he briefly emerged.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot thanked voters for facilitating Congress’ victory in the Anta Assembly by-election and congratulated Pramod Jain Bhaya.

In a statement post-results, Gehlot remarked that the win represented the public’s renewed faith in the leadership of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Gehlot criticized the BJP government, stating it had “failed to cite even a single concrete achievement” during its two-year term.

He pointed out that citizens were disillusioned by the weakening of public welfare schemes established during the Congress era, adding that the bypoll result endorsed the policies of the former Congress government. “This result shows that in just two years, anti-incumbency has gripped the government, and it has failed its own litmus test,” Gehlot noted.

He also expressed appreciation to all Congress leaders and party workers for their dedication in securing the Anta victory.