The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), triumphant in the recent Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, is gearing up to usher in a fresh wave of leadership for the Chief Ministerial roles in these three states, news agency IANS reported quoting its sources.
On Tuesday evening, BJP President JP Nadda convened a four-hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at the PM's official residence. The discussion focused on potential candidates for the chief ministerial roles in the three states.
In a strategic move to project dynamic leaders as the 'face of the party' for the next 20-25 years, it was decided that young leaders with considerable potential would assume the role of Chief Minister. To facilitate this transition, Parliamentarians and Union Ministers were directed to resign and actively engage in state politics.
Responding to the high command's directive, key figures from Madhya Pradesh, including Prahlad Patel, Narendra Singh Tomar, Rao Uday Pratap, Rakesh Singh, and Riti Pathak, tendered their resignations from Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Both Patel and Tomar, ministers in the PM Modi-led Cabinet, are prime contenders for the Chief Minister's position.
Similarly, Rajasthan's Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Diya Kumar, along with Kirodi Lal Meena, who won the Assembly polls, resigned as Lok Sabha members. In Chhattisgarh, MPs Arun Sao and Gomati Sai also resigned.
A total of 21 MPs contested in the three states, with 12 emerging victorious. Among the potential fresh faces, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is a prominent candidate, particularly if incumbent Shivraj Singh Chouhan does not secure the CM post for the fifth time.
In Rajasthan, the BJP is contemplating a new face for the CM position, considering options like Diya Kumari and Baba Balaknath. In addition, Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Kirodi Lal Meena, and BJP state chief CP Joshi are also in the running.
For Chhattisgarh, tribal leaders Renuka Singh, Vishnudev Sai, Arun Sao, and former IAS officer OP Chaudhary are being considered for the CM role.
According to IANS, its sources indicate that the party's high command is likely to appoint a Chief Minister along with Deputy Chief Ministers in these states. The final decisions will be made at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting, followed by an official announcement of the Chief Ministers' names.
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