Who Will Be New Rajasthan CM? From Vasundhara Raje to Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and CP Joshi, List of Probable CM Candidates in BJP
Knowing who the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan will be if the BJP comes to power is important. While the saffron party has not declared a Chief Ministerial candidate for Rajasthan, quite a few leaders are in the fray.
Jaipur, December 3: The counting of votes for the assembly elections held in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana is underway. As per the initial trends, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to form a government in Rajasthan state, with the saffron party leading on over 100 seats. The 200-member Rajasthan assembly went to poll on November 25 in a single phase.
The saffron party's lead on over 100 seats is seen as a significant setback for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government, which is seeking to retain power in Rajasthan. The majority mark in the state is 100, and it seems the BJP is on course to form a new government. Knowing who the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan will be if the BJP comes to power is important. Rajasthan Election 2023 Results Live News Updates: BJP Crosses Halfway Mark With Lead on 106 Seats, Congress Ahead in 77 Constituencies.
While the saffron party has not declared a Chief Ministerial candidate for Rajasthan, quite a few leaders are in the fray.
Vasundhara Raje:
Vasundhara Raje is leading from the Jhalrapatan assembly seat with 7,025 votes against Congress candidate Ram Lal Chouhan. The 70-year-old leader, a two-time chief minister, is the frontrunner in leading the saffron party in the state. In 2003, Vasundhara Raje became the first woman to serve as the Chief Minister for the state of Rajasthan. Later, she became Chief Minister again when the BJP won the 2013 Rajasthan Assembly elections.
Diya Kumari:
52-year-old Diya Kumari is also seen as a Chief Ministerial candidate for the BJP in Rajasthan. She is leading the Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency with 420 votes against Congress leader Sitaram Agarwal. Diya Kumari is also the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jaipur during the British Raj in India.
Dr Kirodi Lal Meena:
Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, who is contesting the Rajasthan assembly election from Sawai Madhopur Assembly constituency, is leading as per the early trends. Popularly known as Kirodi Baba in East Rajasthan, Dr Kirodi Lal Meena is a Rajya Sabha MP. The BJP leader was also a Lok Sabha MP of the 9th and 15th Lok Sabha. A five-time MLA, Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, is another option that could surprise the list of candidates for the Chief Minister's position. Rajasthan Election 2023 Results Live News Updates: BJP Crosses Halfway Mark With Lead on 106 Seats, Congress Ahead in 77 Constituencies.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore:
A two-time Member of the Parliament, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is also seen as one of the few candidates who could lead the saffron party in the state. He has been fielded from the Jhotwara assembly seat in Jaipur. In his political career, Rathore has been trusted with multiple portfolios in both Modi Governments.
Satish Poonia:
Satish Poonia, the former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Rajasthan, is among the potential candidates who could become Chief Minister. In the 2018 assembly election, Satish Poonia defeated Congress leader Prashant Sharma to win the Amber assembly constituency by over 10,000 votes.
CP Joshi:
BJP leader and state president CP Joshi is also in the line for the CM's race. The saffron party has two Rajput Chief Ministers, including CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Yogi Adityanath. Former CM Jairam Thakur was also a Rajput. Seeing this trend, the BJP could elevate CP Joshi as Chief Minister to play the Brahmin card. Rajasthan Election 2023 Results Constituency-Wise Winners List: Seat-Wise Names of Winning Candidates of Congress, BJP and Other Parties in Vidhan Sabha Polls.
Besides the above-mentioned names, a few other names doing the rounds include Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. However, the decision regarding the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan could be taken by the party's central leadership once the election results are out.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 03, 2023 11:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).