BJP names Bhajan Lal Sharma as new CM of Rajasthan

Pic/Bhajanlal Sharma/Facebook

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced that the Sanganer MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma as the new CM of Rajasthan. The decision was taken following a meeting of the party leaders in Rajasthan.

The BJP picked first-time MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma as Rajasthan's new chief minister.

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The surprise choice was announced after BJP MLAs met here and elected the 56-year-old MLA from Sanganer as the leader of its legislature party.

Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa will be the deputy chief ministers and Vasudev Devnani the speaker of the state assembly, said senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh, who led a team of three party central observers to oversee the meeting, reported the PTI.

Diya Kumari is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Jaipur. Her appeal for votes was made as a "daughter of Jaipur" and the "princess who walks on the streets".

Since joining the BJP in 2013, Diya Kumari has won the two elections she contested. She became an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan from the Sawai Madhopur constituency in 2013. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she was elected as an MP from Rajsamand.

Meanwhile, MLA Vasudev Devnani hails from Ajmer and has previously served as the state Education Minister.

Bhajan Lal Sharma's name as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan was announced by BJP's Vasundhara Raje, whose name was also among the contenders for the top post.

At the meeting, the CM-designate's name was proposed by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who was herself considered to be in the running for the top post.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-backed Sharma won the Sanganer constituency with a margin of 48,081 votes. He belongs to Bharatpur district in Rajasthan.

Sharma, who is at present the BJP's state general secretary, holds a master's degree in political science.

Prior to the legislature party meeting, a group photo was taken and Sharma is seen standing in the last row.

Earlier in the day, the BJP legislature party meeting to pick the new chief minister of Rajasthan began in Jaipur on Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting is being held at the BJP office in the presence of the party's three central observers led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The two other observers are Vinod Tawde and Saroj Pandey .

The meeting will elect the legislature party's leader, who will be the chief minister, following the BJP's victory in the recent assembly elections.

(with PTI and ANI inputs)