JAIPUR: In the aftermath of securing a majority in Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself grappling with uncertainty over the Chief Ministerial position. A political churn is underway in Delhi as the party deliberates on who will helm the state. On Monday, over 30 MLAs convened with former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur, signalling a show of strength.
Kalicharan Saraf, an eight-time MLA and staunch supporter of Raje, asserted that 70 MLAs had met with her. Saraf proclaimed, "Wherever she went, the BJP won there. Vasundhara is the most acceptable leader." The stream of MLAs making their way to Raje's residence continued on Tuesday, with notable figures like Arun Chaudhary, Jogaram Patel, Sanjeev Beniwal, Darshan Singh, Ajay Singh Kilak and Jaswant Yadav joining the meetings.
Gopichand, the MLA from Jahajpur, who met Vasundhara on Monday, affirmed, "The CM has to be decided by the central leadership, but our faith is in Vasundhara Raje."
Meanwhile, at the residence of BJP state president CP Joshi on Tuesday, independent MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati, Gopichand Meena, Gopal Sharma and Bhajan Lal Sharma convened, accompanied by state in-charge Arun Singh. Regarding the CM post, Singh remarked, "The decision taken by the Parliamentary Board will be acceptable to everyone."
Addressing the media in Jaipur on Tuesday, Singh said that the party fought the elections in the name of PM Modi and therefore, the parliamentary board will decide the CM. "These elections were fought with PM Narendra Modi as the face of the party. Now the decision on who will be the Chief Minister will be decided in the Parliamentary Board meeting," he said.
Singh did not say anything about the meeting of MLAs at the residence of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
It is noteworthy that the BJP, in a departure from its practice of the last three decades, contested the Rajasthan election without declaring a CM face, relying on the popularity of Prime Minister Modi. Two-time Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was considered a natural contender, yet her strained relations with the BJP high command over the past decade have fueled speculation about alternative candidates.
Other potential candidates include Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Diya Kumari, Kirori Lal Meena, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal. Conflicting statements within the BJP indicate a prolonged internal struggle over the CM face.
Despite Raje's outward silence, insiders suggest that her dissatisfaction could lead to significant upheaval. With Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, the impact of Raje's discontent on the BJP's electoral performance cannot be ignored.
Political experts say that an observer will be appointed by the top leadership of the party who will hold a meeting of the legislature party in Jaipur and take suggestions from the MLAs regarding the name of the CM. After this, the decision on who will be the Chief Minister will be taken in the Parliamentary Board meeting.
It remains to be seen whether the BJP will maintain its tradition of surprising decisions or choose to align with the familiar figure of Vasundhara Raje.