Assembly elections 2023: Suspense over BJP CM faces continues

The BJP brass has been holding hectic parleys with the state units since the Assembly results were declared on December 3.

After the BJP’s thumping victory in the three heartland states, all eyes are now on who will become the new chief ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. In all these three states, the party fought the polls without naming any chief ministerial candidate.

There were speculations about whether old regional satraps such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje, and Raman Singh would be given the responsibility or whether the BJP would name new leaders as chief ministers.

Meanwhile, the BJP on December 8 appointed senior leaders Rajnath Singh, Manohar Lal Khattar and Arjun Munda as central observers for electing the leader of the legislative party in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh respectively. Besides Singh, BJP leaders Saroj Pandey and Vinod Tawde are also being sent to Rajasthan as central observers. Apart from Khattar, K Laxman and Asha Lakra are being sent to Madhya Pradesh. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and party leader Dushwant Kumar Gautam are being sent to Chhattisgarh.

The party follows three steps in choosing a chief minister. At first, the BJP brass selects a suitable candidate. Following this, the BJP MLAs elect their leaders and finally, the parliamentary board of the party approves. It was being speculated that Vasundhara Raje or Baba Balak Nath may become the chief minister of Rajasthan. However, sources told Moneycontrol that the BJP is not considering to appoint Vasundhara Raje owing to the resentment against her from various quarters.

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The party is said to be looking at central leaders who were fielded to fight the 2023 state assembly elections.

The BJP may also look beyond Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh. Union minister Renuka Singh is one of the front-runners for the chief minister’s post. The names of Raman Singh, state party unit chief Arun Kumar Sao, former IAS officer OP Choudhary, Dharamlal Kaushik, and former Union minister Vishnu Deo Sai are doing the rounds.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is being credited for the party’s win in Madhya Pradesh. “Ladli Behna scheme is a game-changer and the full credit for it goes to Shivraj Singh Chouhan," said Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Besides Chouhan, Union ministers Prahlad Patel, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya may also be considered for the post.

BJP’s Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh told Hindustan Times that the chief minister will be picked soon. “Whatever decision is taken by the parliamentary board will be acceptable to all,” he told the newspaper.