JAIPUR: Finally, the ruling BJP has announced Morpal Suman as its candidate for the bypoll in the Anta assembly seat in Rajasthan’s Baran district. The announcement came after Congress’ Pramod Jain Bhaya and independent candidate Naresh Meena had already filed their nominations. The delay has raised several questions within political circles.
Party sources revealed that the BJP had initially planned to field former minister Prabhulal Saini against Congress candidate Pramod Jain Bhaya. However, Saini’s name was reportedly dropped following Vasundhara Raje’s disapproval. Once considered close to Raje, Saini’s strained ties with the former Chief Minister had greatly complicated the party’s internal dynamics.
Insiders say Raje has long favoured Suman, a grassroots leader from the Mali community whose quiet but consistent work in local politics has earned him Raje's trust. Suman is a grassroots leader from the Mali community and a former village head in the area, and his candidature is seen as a choice driven by caste dynamics and his reputation as a public worker.
Notably, the Anta assembly seat falls under the Jhalawar-Baran Lok Sabha constituency — the political bastion of Dushyant Singh, son of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Her influence in the region remains firmly intact. Sources suggest that despite multiple rounds of deliberation, the central leadership and the Raje camp failed to reach a consensus on the candidate’s name.
Although the BJP managed to win five of the seven assembly seats in by-elections held after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls — helping Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma avoid political embarrassment — the Anta bypoll has emerged as a new and crucial challenge for his leadership.
A few days earlier, both Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and State BJP President Madan Rathore made a quiet visit to Raje’s residence, reportedly to seek her cooperation. However, the announcement of Suman’s candidacy indicates that the meeting may not have yielded the expected results.
Meanwhile, independent candidate Naresh Meena has already intensified the political atmosphere in the constituency. With Suman’s surprise nomination, the contest has gained fresh momentum and reignited speculation that Vasundhara’s influence within the BJP is far from over.
And really, could it have gone any other way? After all, Vasundhara Raje - once the undisputed face of the BJP in Rajasthan - was sidelined after the 2023 elections, replaced as chief minister by a “parchi” (slip) and practically erased from the power map. But if there’s one thing Raje won’t allow, it’s losing ground in her own backyard. In Anta, her silence may well be louder than the party’s speeches in case Raje distances herself from the campaigning.
It is noteworthy that the Anta seat fell vacant after Raje loyalist Kanwarlal Meena lost his MLA post. His membership was terminated in May following his conviction in a 20-year-old case involving the alleged use of a pistol to threaten an SDM. As per the rules, a by-election must be held within six months of the seat falling vacant.
Voting in Anta will take place on November 11, and results will be declared on November 14.
