JAIPUR, Nov 14 : Independent candidate in the Deoli-Uniara Assembly bypoll in Rajasthan, Naresh Meena, who was arrested on Thursday following high drama and escalating violence in which a mob assaulted a PTI reporter and video cameraperson and burnt their camera, has a family background in politics.
His father Kalyan Singh was a village sarpanch for 30 years and his mother is currently a village sarpanch in Baran district.
Meena’s wife Sunita is a Zila Parishad member and his younger brother’s wife is a Panchayat Samiti member. During his student days, Meena was the general secretary of the Rajasthan University.
He is said to be close to Congress leader Sachin Pilot.
Meena was associated with the Congress for long, but had rebelled against the party on several occasions on being denied poll tickets. This time also, he rebelled against the Congress and entered the bypoll fray from Deoli-Uniara.
In the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly polls, Meena wanted to contest the Chhabra Chhipabaraud seat in Baran, but the Congress did not field him. He entered the poll fray as an Independent. However, he lost the contest by about 44,000 votes and was expelled from the party.
Meena returned to the Congress ahead of this year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The chairman of the Congress Disciplinary Committee in Rajasthan, Udaylal Anjana, and other members of the panel had sent a proposal for Meena’s return to the high-command, which was accepted.
After returning to the Congress, Meena staked his claim for the party ticket from Dausa. But once again the party ignored his claim and he decided to contest as an Independent.
However, on being persuaded by Congress leaders, Meena withdrew his nomination.
This time, Meena had sought a ticket for the Deoli-Uniara Assembly bypoll. As the party ignored his demand, Meena contested the bypoll as an Independent nominee.
On polling day on November 13, there was an altercation between Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amit Chaudhary and Meena, following which the latter caught the government official by his collar and slapped him in front of a camera crew. (PTI)
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