As new CMs take oath, Congress reasons BJP's out-of-the-box choices
In a surprise announcement, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed new chief ministers in the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. Bhajanlal Sharma, Vishnu Deo Sai, and Mohan Yadav were appointed as the new CMs for these states, respectively. The BJP's move stunned everyone, especially the opposition, which was speculating the names of senior leaders like Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the posts. Now, Congress leaders have come up with reasons behind the BJP's CM picks.
Why does this story matter?
The opposition's remarks come as two of the three newly appointed CMs took oaths on Wednesday. In ceremonies attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda, and other prominent leaders, Yadav and Sai were sworn in as CMs of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, respectively. With Lok Sabha elections expected in a few months, the state elections serve as a litmus test.
CM picks indicate lack of democracy within BJP: Congress MP
Congress MP Manickam Tagore excoriated the selections, saying they show a lack of democracy within the party and that "only PM Modi and Shah's choices matter." Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that the decision signifies the end of the BJP's regional satraps or provincial governors. While the governing capabilities of the newly appointed CMs are under scrutiny, it is to be noted that all of them have strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) backgrounds.
New CMs will work as puppets: Shrinate
In an elaborate social media post, Shrinate said that the CM appointments mean that the decisions of elected MLAs don't matter and that "democracy has completely ended in the BJP." Without taking any names, she asserted that anyone who can challenge PM Modi will be dealt with. Shrinate accused the newly appointed CMs of working as puppets for BJP leaders at the Centre, similar to what happened in Gujarat and Assam.
Congress shares Raje's controversial video
Separately, Congress leader Srinivas BV posted a video showing Raje and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conversing just before Sharma was announced as the new Rajasthan Chief Minister. In the video clip, Raje is seen opening a chit and talking to Singh. Some reports suggested that the chit contained Sharma's name, which shocked Raje. However, Singh stated that "Vasundhara Raje had proposed Bhajanlal's name."
