Jaipur: BJP Friday announced the name of Morpal Suman, a local leader and close aide of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, as its candidate for the Anta Assembly bypoll in Baran district. The decision, made after prolonged internal deliberations, underscores the party’s attempt to balance local influence and caste equations in the constituency.Suman’s candidature has set the tone for an ‘insider vs outsider’ contest, with his main rivals — Congress nominee and former minister Pramod Jain Bhaya and independent candidate Naresh Meena — both hailing from outside Anta. The stage is now set for a three-cornered contest in the bypoll.“Meena is contesting against Jain, not me. I am confident he and his supporters will vote for the BJP and ensure my victory”, Suman told mediapersons after the announcement.Suman was elected pradhan of the Baran Panchayat Samiti, and has been serving in that position since Jan 2022. Coming from the OBC Mali community, which commands a significant presence and social influence in the region, Suman is viewed as a grassroots leader with a low-profile and public-oriented image.Party insiders said his nomination aligns with Raje’s push to promote leaders who are ‘accessible and connected to the people’.The BJP is banking on Suman’s appeal among Mali voters while trying to get a piece of the Scheduled Tribe voter base, which is likely to tilt towards independent candidate Meena.At present, the BJP holds 119 seats in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, where the Congress has 66 seats.The Anta seat fell vacant following the disqualification of the BJP’s Kanwarlal Meena, a staunch supporter of Vasundhara Raje. His membership was annulled in May 2025 after his conviction in a 20-year-old case involving the brandishing of a pistol at an SDM.As per election rules, a bypoll must be held within six months of a seat falling vacant.According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), polling for by-elections in eight constituencies across Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Punjab, Telangana, and Rajasthan will be held on Nov 11. Counting will be held on Nov 14.Chief electoral officer Naveen Mahajan said nominations can be filed until Oct 21. Scrutiny of papers will take place on Oct 23, while Oct 27 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature.As per the latest electoral rolls updated on Oct 1, 2025, 2,27,563 voters are registered to vote in the Anta constituency.
BJP fields Morpal Suman from Anta; triangular contest expected in upcoming bypoll | Jaipur News
