Jaipur: BJP state incharge Radha Mohan Das Agrawal on Tuesday asserted that the Anta Assembly bypoll in Rajasthan was conducted with “complete honesty,” arguing that the result demonstrated the ruling party’s commitment to fair elections. Speaking to reporters at Jaipur airport, Agrawal rejected accusations that the BJP misused administrative influence, saying the party respected the electorate’s mandate even in a contest it did not win.
Agrawal noted that the BJP, which heads both the state and central governments, had been aware for six months that the Anta bypoll was approaching. Despite having the administrative apparatus under its control, he said, the party made no attempt to influence the poll process. “If we wanted to control the election through political pressure, voter lists, or administrative influence, the election would have been in our pocket,” he said. “But we conducted it with complete honesty and 100 per cent fairness, respecting public sentiment.”
Responding to the Congress victory in the bypoll, Agrawal maintained that the outcome underscored the BJP’s democratic approach rather than any weakness. He said the party frequently wins elections across the country and does not hesitate to accept losses where they occur. “We win a lot of elections. If we keep helping them win one or two elections occasionally, they will survive,” he remarked, adding that the Anta result should be seen as evidence of the BJP’s principles rather than political manipulation.
Agrawal compared the Anta bypoll to the recent electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir, noting that the BJP accepted results even where it suffered major losses. “We lost most seats in Srinagar, where voter turnout was 70 per cent. Anta recorded an even higher turnout of 81 per cent,” he said. He argued that the robust turnout was a strong rebuttal to opponents who accuse the BJP of engaging in electoral malpractice. “The Anta election is a resounding slap on the faces of those who accuse the BJP of vote theft. This is a victory of the BJP’s principles and a testament that we believe in democracy,” he said.
Taking aim at former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Agrawal said, “Ashok Gehlot has gradually become outdated,” suggesting that the former Congress leader no longer resonates with voters. He said the BJP’s victories in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi over the past year show that the electorate continues to respond positively to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “Whatever PM Modi communicates reaches directly into people’s hearts,” he said.
Agrawal also criticised the Congress Party’s long-standing slogans about poverty eradication. He alleged that the party relied on rhetoric during its decades in power, claiming, “They raised slogans and eliminated the poor instead.” In contrast, he said the BJP government over the past eleven years has focused on improving the lives of the poor and middle class through targeted welfare and development programmes.
Clarifying his own role in the bypoll, Agrawal said he had no operational involvement and that the election was managed by party leaders and volunteers on the ground. “Winning and losing are part of political life. The party was fully engaged, and senior leaders were monitoring the election,” he said. Reiterating his earlier remarks, he added, “We win many elections, but if we let them win once in a while, they will survive.”
The Anta bypoll result, he concluded, should be seen as an affirmation of voter participation and democratic values rather than a setback for the BJP. Agrawal said the party would continue to contest elections with transparency and accept outcomes as part of the democratic process.
