BJP picks first-time MLA Bhajanlal Sharma as Rajasthan Chief Minister

Jaipur: Springing yet another surprise, the BJP on Tuesday selected another low-profile party worker and a first-time MLA—Bhajanlal Sharma—as its Legislature Party leader and the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

A Brahmin face, Bhajanlal is 56 years old and someone who has been a diligent party worker, besides being the state unit’s general secretary for four terms now. In choosing him, BJP top brass has given a categorical indication that generational change and grooming a new crop of leaders in the states are now the party’s priority.

Selection of two relatively young deputy chief ministers Diya Kumari (52), who won from Jaipur’s Vidyadhar Nagar seat, and Prem Chand Bairwa (54), MLA from Dudu, also show that new leaders are to helm the state administration from now on. The only consolation for BJP's veteran leaders is the selection of Vasudev Devnani, 73, a four term MLA from Ajmer (North) as the Speaker.

The team of three that has been selected is relatively inexperienced in administration as none of them have held any ministerial positions in the government before.

Bhajanlal, who won from Jaipur’s Sanganer constituency by defeating Congress’s Pushpendra Bharadwaj by 48,081 votes for the first time. He had polled 1,45,162 votes from the constituency, which is considered a BJP stronghold. Brahmins form about one crore of the total state population of approximately 7.82 crore and have often complained of inadequate representation. Bhajanlal’s selection is likely to take care of other castes like Baniya and Jains, who together form about 8 per cent of the population and who would not have any objection to his selection from the upper caste.

Bhajanlal hails from Bharatpur and had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election earlier.

Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje after a meeting with central observers Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Saroj Pandya, and Vinod Tawde in a hotel, went to the BJP office where she proposed his name, which was unanimously agreed upon by all the legislators present, a pattern that was followed in both Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Surprisingly, Bhajanlal’s name did not figure in the list of names that were doing the rounds earlier. In his first interaction with the media, he said, “I would like to assure you that all the MLAs of Rajasthan will definitely meet the expectations that the people have with the BJP. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will ensure holistic development of Rajasthan in all areas.”

In choosing Diya Kumari, who has also been a party general secretary twice, BJP has tried to mollify the Rajputs, who form about 10 per cent of the population and have influence over 30 seats in the state. Traditionally BJP voters, they had shifted to Congress in 2018, miffed over the gangster Anandpal encounter case.

The choice of Prem Chand Bairwa is to look for support from over 17 per cent SC population in the state.