Bhajanlal Sharma Emerges as BJP’s Preferred Choice for CM in Rajasthan

Jaipur: The BJP, fielding fresh faces for the top jobs in the heartland states it won — appears to have reserved its biggest surprise for Rajasthan. Bhajanlal Sharma, named the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, is a first-time MLA from Sanganer and the state general secretary of the party.

The other aspirant for the top post, Diya Kumari, has been named a deputy Chief Minister along with Prem Chand Bairwa.

Mr Sharma — one of the longest serving party-men in Rajasthan — could not be more different from Vasundhara Raje, who helmed state on behalf of the party for three terms.

The 56-year-old, initially associated with the ABVP, the student wing of the party’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has always kept a low profile.

Inside the party, he is seen as an organisation man, unlike Ms Raje, who was sometimes at variance with the top leadership.

Like Shivraj Chauhan in Madhya Pradesh, Ms Raje was the one to propose the name of the new Chief Minister. It was seconded by state leaders Kirori Meena, Madan Dilawar and Jawar Singh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)