BJP Issues Show-Cause Notice to Anta By-Election Candidate Morpal Suman Over Viral Letter

“The act falls under the definition of party indiscipline. If you wish to provide clarification, submit it within three days,” the notice stated. The action comes after Suman’s letter accusing senior party leaders, including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and three sitting MLAs from Baran district of contributing to his defeat, went viral on social media.

Allegations Against Party Leaders

In his letter to the Baran District President, Suman claimed that Om Birla’s team worked against him, alleging financial inducements were given to local leaders to sway voters in favour of Congress candidate Pramod Jain Bhaya. Suman also accused Minister Hiralal Nagar, asserting that Nagar’s business partner, Manoj Sharma, distributed money among the Nagar and Malav communities to influence votes.

Suman further implicated three BJP MLAs—Pratap Singh Singhvi, Lalit Meena, and Radheshyam Bairwa—alleging that they acted, directly or indirectly, to prevent him from winning. He contended that there was speculation he could become a minister if victorious, prompting these leaders to oppose him. Other party office-bearers and aspirants were also named as contributing to his electoral loss.

By-Election Outcome

In the Anta by-election, held after the disqualification of Kanwarlal Meena, a former supporter of ex-CM Vasundhara Raje, Congress candidate Pramod Jain Bhaya defeated Morpal Suman by 15,594 votes. Independent candidate Naresh Meena secured third place. Kanwarlal Meena’s disqualification followed his 2023 conviction in a decades-old case involving brandishing a firearm at an SDM, which had vacated the seat.

Following the election, Pramod Jain Bhaya celebrated the victory with supporters. Suman’s letter and the subsequent notice highlight ongoing tensions within the Rajasthan BJP, with senior leaders seeking to contain internal dissent ahead of future polls.

The party’s swift response signals a zero-tolerance approach to public criticism and internal accusations that could tarnish its image, especially after a high-profile electoral defeat.