Congress Reclaims Anta, By-election Drama Unfolds Across India

The Indian National Congress regained Anta constituency with Pramod Jain winning with over 13,000 votes. Repolling occurred in Rajasthan after BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena's disqualification. Nationwide by-elections saw significant wins, including BJP's Devyani Rana in Nagrota, amid a mixed political landscape.

The Indian National Congress clinched a significant victory in the Anta assembly constituency, with its candidate Pramod Jain 'Bhaya' securing a win by a margin exceeding 13,000 votes. Official data from the Election Commission of India indicated that after 20 rounds of vote counting, Jain amassed nearly 60,000 votes. Jain maintained a steady lead since counting commenced at 8 AM.

Repolling was necessitated in Rajasthan's Baran district following the disqualification of BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena, convicted in a 2005 case involving threats against a government official. The Congress faced off against BJP's Morpal Suman, among 15 candidates. Jain emerged victorious by more than 13,000 votes, with BJP trailing behind.

Bye-elections unfolded concurrently with the Bihar Assembly elections, spanning multiple states including Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Mizoram, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, and Jharkhand. In Jammu and Kashmir, polling in Budgam followed Omar Abdullah's resignation; he retained Ganderbal after winning both seats in the 2024 elections. The ECI declared results for Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir and Dampa in Mizoram.

BJP's Devyani Rana won in Nagrota, defeating nine competitors, while the Mizo National Front's R Lalthangliana secured Dampa with 24,000 and 562-vote margins, respectively. Rana, daughter of the late Devender Rana, preserved the Nagrota seat for the BJP following her father's recent passing, continuing his legacy in the region's political field.

(With inputs from agencies.)