First-time MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma to be new Rajasthan chief minister; Diya Kumari, Prem Chand Bairwa to be deputy CMs

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) picked Bhajan Lal Sharma, first Time MLA from the Sanganer assembly constituency.

As the chief minister of Rajasthan, a key state where it returned to power with a thumping majority in the recently concluded elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party has also named Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa as the deputy chief ministers of Rajasthan.

Vasudev Devnani will be the new Rajasthan Assembly Speaker.

Former CM Vasundhara Raje, who was the frontrunner for the post, proposed Sharma’s name before the MLAs and the central observers.

Earlier today, three BJP observers, led by defence minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Jaipur to oversee the legislature party meeting, where the chief minister-elect was picked.

The central team included Vinod Tawde and Sarok Pandey and union minister Pralhad Joshi, the BJP incharge for Rajasthan. The team was welcomed by CP Joshi and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje.

The two-time former CM Raje was one of the probables for the chief ministerial post.

The team hadn’t revealed who the probables were for the coveted post. However, the names of MP-turned-MLA Balaknath, Raje, Kirori Lal Meena and Diya Kumari had been doing the rounds in political circles.

The BJP won 115 seats out of the 199 that went to polls in Rajasthan.

In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the BJP went for surprise choices — Mohan Yadav and Vishnu Deo Sai respectively — keeping in view the respective caste equations in these two states ahead of the 2024 general elections.