Jaipur: The Anta Assembly by-election in Baran district is shaping up into a quadrangular contest, with political calculations shifting sharply after the unexpected entry of former BJP MLA Rampal Meghwal on Monday. His candidature introduced a fresh layer of uncertainty, particularly over Scheduled Caste votes, traditionally a key base for Congress, while also holding potential implications for BJP supporters from other communities.A local supporter of Meghwal said, “Rampal Meghwal, who won the neighbouring Baran-Ataru seat by nearly 20,000 votes in the 2013 assembly polls was overlooked by the party and denied a ticket from Anta. He decided to contest independently, claiming his aim is to address the concerns of SCs, marginalised, and disadvantaged, while also engaging with broader constituency issues.”Alongside BJP and Congress, independent contenders are staking their claim. Naresh Meena, though unsuccessful in three previous elections, has secured significant local support. From the main parties, Congress has fielded former Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya, while the BJP has nominated Morpal Suman, a grass roots leader and current head of the Baran panchayat committee. Political observers said Meghwal’s participation could reshape SC vote, potentially affecting Congress’s traditional support while also drawing from BJP’s base. “This is an embarrassment for BJP. With his prior tenure as MLA from Baran-Ataru, Meghwal is expected to bring loyal supporters, and Naresh Meena could influence younger voters. Both parties will need to recalibrate strategies in response to the evolving dynamics,” a Congress worker in Anta said. Anta, with 2.3 lakh registered voters, has alternated between the BJP and Congress in the past four elections. In 2023, BJP’s Kanwarlal Meena beat Congress’s Pramod Jain Bhaya by 5,861 votes. In the elections before than — in 2018 — Pramod Jain Bhaya won by 34,063 votes. The 2013 election saw BJP’s Prabhulal Saini prevail by 3,399 votes, while in 2008, Congress’s Pramod Jain beat BJP’s Raghuveer Singh Kaushal by 29,668 votes.
BJP faces unexpected challenge from ex-MLA | Jaipur News
