Amid uncertainty from Delhi to Jaipur over the new chief minister of Rajasthan, the first meeting of the BJP Legislature Party (BJP-LP) will be held here tomorrow (Tuesday) under a three-member Central team of observers headed by Rajnath Singh, Union defense minister.
At least eight candidates are in the race for the chief minister’s post including former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
“Our three Central observers will land in Jaipur tomorrow morning and hold a meeting of the legislature party at 11 am,” BJP State Media Coordinator Pramod Vashishth told reporters on Monday.
All 115 newly-elected MLAs have been informed about the crucial meeting and invited to the BJP headquarters, he said, adding the observers would have a one-to-one talk with the legislators.
The name of the chief minister will be decided after consulting with the MLAs. Once a consensus on a name for the top post has evolved, it will be conveyed to the Parliamentary Board, which will officially announce the decision or the chief observer may bring the party’s decision and take their voice vote.
Meanwhile, Vasundhara Raje, one of the front runners for the post, has built a lot of political pressure on party’s high command by meeting over 30-40 MLAs frequently at her residence in civil lines since December 3 when the party won the assembly elections. The two-time BJP chief minister of the state, along with her son Dushyant Singh, a Lok Sabha MP, has courted controversy for herding MLA(s) at a resort last week. Both met BJP President J P Nadda in Delhi to explain the move last week probably.
Many of the Raje loyalist MLAs and leaders have spent an entire day at the entry gate of her residence. Sitting on a garden chair, Raje was seen surrounded by her followers and loyalists.
The name of Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was not seen in any of the poll rallies and road shows of PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajasthan, has gained momentum from Delhi political circles.
Rumours of Baba Balaknath, who won the assembly elections from Tizara and is also Alwar MP, had been active before the election process started.
The names of Union ministers, Arjunram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Jodhpur, Rajya Sabha MP and now MLA Sawaimadhopur KL Meena, woman MP and now MLA Diya Kumari (Jaipur royal family member), Om Birla (Lok Sabha Speaker), Om Prakash Mathur (RSS hardliner), and BJP state president CP Joshi, who led the party to the victory in the state and always accompanied Modi during his all poll rallies and shows, are trending in the political circles.
What is noteworthy is that preparations for the swearing-in have already started inside the party. ‘Malamas’ (a month in the Hindu calendar) is going to start on December 16. Hence, the swearing-in of the new chief minister and other ministers can happen before 15th December. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the event.
The swearing-in ceremony can take place in Jaipur on Wednesday, 13th December.