Cong wins another bypoll in Raj

Sardarshahar: Congress’ Anil Sharma defeated BJP’s Ashok Kumar Pincha by a margin of 26,850 votes in Sardarshahar assembly bypoll on Thursday, with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot terming it “people’s seal on his government’s good governance and public welfare schemes”. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) candidate Lalchand Moond came third. A total of 10 candidates were in the fray. Sharma got 91,357 votes, Pincha 64,505 and Moond 46,753 votes. This is the 10th time the Congress won the seat since Independence. The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of senior Congress leader and MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma. Expressing gratitude to voters, CM Gehlot claimed that the bypoll result was a clear message that the Congress will form the govt in Rajasthan in 2023 with an absolute majority. He also spoke to RTDC Chairman Dharmendra Rathore. CM Gehlot said, “Many congratulations to you too, best wishes.”