New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the name of Bhajanlal Sharma as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan, following its victory in the state assembly elections. Sharma, who is supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has won the Sanganer seat of Jaipur for the first time by a huge margin of 48,081 votes. He is a resident of Bharatpur district and holds a master’s degree in political science. He is also the state general secretary of BJP and a close aide of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
In a surprise move, the BJP has also appointed two Deputy Chief Ministers in Rajasthan, on the lines of Madhya Pradesh, where it had formed a coalition government with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Bharatiya Adivasi Party (BAP). The two Deputy CMs are Diya Kumari, the princess of Jaipur and a four-time MLA from Rajsamand, and Prem Chand Bairwa, a Dalit leader and a three-time MLA from Kishangarh Bas. Both of them are considered loyal to the central leadership of the BJP and have been rewarded for their performance in the elections.
The BJP has also chosen Vasudev Devnani, a senior leader and a former education minister, as the new speaker of the Rajasthan assembly. Devnani, who represents the Ajmer North seat, is known for his pro-Hindutva views and his initiatives to introduce changes in the school curriculum. He will preside over the 200-member house, where the BJP has a comfortable majority of 115 seats, while the Congress has been reduced to 69 seats. The BAP and the BSP have won 3 and 2 seats respectively, while 10 seats have gone to independents and other parties.
The decision to appoint the new CM, deputy CMs and speaker was taken after a meeting of the BJP legislature party, which was attended by the central observer and defense minister Rajnath Singh. Former CM Vasundhara Raje, who had led the party to a massive defeat in the 2018 elections, was also present at the meeting and proposed the name of Sharma, which was accepted by the legislators. Before the meeting, a group photo of the newly elected MLAs was taken, in which Sharma was seen standing in the last row, indicating his low profile and humble background.
The BJP has claimed that the people of Rajasthan have given a mandate for change and development, and has promised to fulfill their aspirations and expectations. The party has also thanked the voters for their support and trust and has assured them of good governance and stability in the state.
