Following his election as the leader of the legislative party in Rajasthan, Bhajanlal Sharma met Governor Kalraj Mishra to formally stake his claim to form the government.
Sharma’s appointment as Chief Minister is being perceived by many as an effort by the BJP to appeal to a diverse range of castes. Bhajanlal Sharma himself is a Brahmin, while Diya Singh belongs to the Rajput community, and Premchand Bairwa hails from the Dalit community.
Kirodi Lal Meena Meena dismisses notion of caste manipulation
In response to journalists questioning the move, senior BJP MLA Kirodi Lal Meena dismissed the notion of caste manipulation, stating, “We do not need to cultivate caste. Our strongest leader Narendra Modi represents 36 communities. We have won in his name in three states and will continue to do so in 2024.”
Despite Bhajan Lal Sharma’s name not being widely discussed in the media regarding the Chief Ministerial race, it was a topic of conversation within the BJP organization. Kirodi Lal Meena, a senior BJP leader, had hinted earlier that a surprising candidate would emerge as the CM.
Meena commented, “I had already said that there would be a surprising decision in Rajasthan. Bharatpur is called Lohagarh. The person from Lohagarh will become an iron man and take Rajasthan forward.”
The BJP’s decision to appoint a relatively new face as Chief Minister aligns with recent trends in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. This announcement came nine days after the BJP secured a majority in Rajasthan, breaking a 25-year dominance in the Chief Minister’s post held by either Congress’s Ashok Gehlot or BJP leader Vasundhara Raje.
Party makes decisions after careful consideration: Rajyavardhan Singh
Reacting to the news of Bhajanlal Sharma’s appointment, newly elected MLA Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore expressed gratitude, saying, “The party makes decisions after careful consideration. Rajasthan BJP has strong leadership, and I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all our seniors.”
BJP state president CP Joshi also welcomed the decision, stating, “He (Sharma) has served the party for a long time. It is a matter of great happiness that Bhajanlal Sharma’s name has been announced for the CM post.”
Sharma will elevate the state to new heights: Vasundhara
Vasundhara Raje, the former Chief Minister and prominent BJP figure, conveyed her congratulations to the chief minister-elect, Bhajan Lal Sharma, for his nomination to the top post in Rajasthan. She expressed confidence that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sharma will elevate the state to “new heights.”
Additionally, Raje extended her best wishes to Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa, who were announced as the two deputies in the state. Furthermore, she congratulated Vasudev Devnani on his selection for the role of Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly.
After he was appointed as the CM, Bhajanlal Sharma said all the MLAs of Rajasthan will definitely meet the expectations that the people have with the BJP. “Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, we will ensure the complete development of Rajasthan in all areas,” Sharma said, after the massive development.
The CM-designate also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda. After addressing the press conference, Sharma reached Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government in the state.
(With inputs from agencies)
