Jaipur, Nov 14 (IANS) Congress candidate Pramod Jain Bhaya won the Anta by-election in Rajasthan, securing a decisive victory with 69,571 votes.

He defeated BJP’s Morpal Suman, who received 53,959 votes, by a margin of 15,612 votes. Independent candidate Naresh Meena finished third, securing 53,800 votes, falling short of the BJP candidate by a narrow margin.

Reacting to the results, BJP state president Madan Rathod said the party respects the people’s mandate.

State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara congratulated Bhaya, calling the victory a public endorsement of “trust and development”.

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

Meena added that the setback was a test of resolve and promised to return with greater strength: “Perhaps something was lacking in our sacrifice. Now we will work with double the strength.”

The counting day witnessed high energy and heavy crowds. Naresh Meena arrived at the centre seated atop a jeep, greeted by loud slogans from supporters. Large groups gathered outside Bhaya’s residence since early morning, with many touching his feet in celebration.

At the counting centre, sloganeering intensified upon Meena’s arrival, prompting security reinforcement.

BJP candidate Morpal Suman reached the venue before counting began and expressed confidence in victory. Earlier in the morning, Bhaya and his wife visited a cow shelter to offer prayers before counting started. The counting process began at 8 a.m., with ballot papers counted first.

Live Update Highlights Bhaya sealed his victory after maintaining the lead throughout most rounds. His wife, Urmila Jain, expressed gratitude, saying, “Baran is our family. The public has trusted us despite the indecent language used during the campaign.”

Celebrations started after noon as Congress supporters burst firecrackers at Pratap Chowk once trends confirmed Bhaya’s strong lead.

Bhaya had accused the BJP of “betraying the public” and halting welfare schemes in Baran. Further, since morning, crowds outside his home surged, with supporters offering congratulations as he briefly stepped out.

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

In a statement issued after the results, Gehlot said the win reflected the public’s renewed trust in the leadership of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Gehlot launched a sharp attack on the BJP government, claiming it had “failed to cite even a single concrete achievement” during its two-year tenure.

He said people were distressed by the weakening of the Congress-era public welfare schemes, adding that the bypoll result was an endorsement of the policies implemented by the previous 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 said.

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

–IANS

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