Rajasthan CM likely to named today: BJP Legislature party meet on Tuesday

Rajasthan CM Announcement: The recently elected BJP MLAs in Rajasthan are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to officially select the next chief minister of the state.

This marks the conclusion of a period of uncertainty following the party's victory in the assembly elections.

“The meeting of the BJP Legislature Party has been called at 4 pm on Tuesday at the BJP state office. Registration of all newly elected MLAs of the BJP will start at 1.30 pm,” BJP state general secretary and MLA Bhajanlal Sharma said on Monday, PTI reported.

He said all newly elected MLAs have been asked to compulsorily attend the meeting.

The party has designated Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as an observer, and he will be joined by the two co-observers, national vice president Saroj Pandey and national general secretary Vinod Tawde, during the meeting, as confirmed by BJP leader Arun Singh in his statement to reporters.

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In response to inquiries about the potential selection of a Dalit leader as the Chief Minister, Singh stated, “Everything will be revealed tomorrow.”

Ex-chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Ashwini Vaishnaw are reportedly contenders for the Chief Minister's position in Rajasthan, one of the three states clinched by the BJP in the recent elections.

Earlier on Monday, MLAs were briefed about the upcoming legislature party meeting, during which the central leadership of the BJP will disclose its selection for the post, nine days after the announcement of results from the November 25 elections.

The BJP secured victory in 115 out of the 199 contested seats, with polling delayed in one constituency due to the demise of a candidate. Prior to the meeting to officially elect the legislature party leader or the CM-designate, BJP MLA Jogeshwar Garg mentioned that the observers would engage in individual discussions with the MLAs.

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In response to inquiries about the recent meeting of new legislators with former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje at her residence on Monday, Kirodi Lal Meena clarified that 17 MLAs had also visited him after the election results. He emphasized that such interactions should not be interpreted as lobbying. Meena, elected as an MLA, resigned from the Rajya Sabha.

PTI reported that several MLAs have called on former Raje in recent days in what was seen as a show of support, amid speculation over what the party will decide. She also met party leaders in Delhi.

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Rajendra Rathore, who lost the assembly elections, claimed that the BJP does not have a show-of-strength culture. “Neither does anybody dares to do so,” he said.

He said, “MLAs go to meet senior leaders to exchange wishes and it should not be seen in that sense, and asserted that all BJP leaders in the state are united.”

Rathore said on Monday that the new ‘double engine’ will take shape in Rajasthan tomorrow,” referencing the party holding power both in the state and at the Centre.

(With inputs from PTI)