BJP appoints observers to pick CMs for Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appointed observers on Friday to begin the process of selecting chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Since winning in the three states in the recent assembly election, there has been little clarity on the BJP's chief ministerial faces. The central observers will now travel to their respective states to meet with MLAs and make a decision on the chief minister.
Why does this story matter?
The development comes amid speculation that new chief ministers will be appointed over the weekend. The saffron brigade registered a thumping win in the 2023 assembly polls. The party secured a comeback in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, defeating the Congress by significant margins. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP retained power by winning 163 seats and limiting the grand old party to 63. Meanwhile, the Congress unseated the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government by winning 64 seats in Telangana.
Who are the observers
For Rajasthan, the BJP has appointed Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, senior Rajya Sabha MP Saroj Pande, and party general secretary Vinod Tawde as observers. The observers' team in Chhattisgarh includes union ministers Sarbanand Sonowal, Arjun Munda, and General Secretary Dushyant Gautam. Over in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Asha Lakra, and Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman will oversee the process.
List of top CM contenders in Rajasthan, MP, and Chhattisgarh
While CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the top contender in Madhya Pradesh, other contenders include Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Prahlad Patel, Narendra Singh Tomar, and senior leader Kailash Vijayvargiya. For Chhattisgarh, former CM Raman Singh, state BJP chief Arun Kumar Sao, Dharamlal Kaushik, and ex-administrator OP Chaudhary are top contenders. In Rajasthan, the CM contenders include former CM Vasundhara Raje, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and ministers Arjun Meghwal and Gajendra Shekhawat.
Revanth Reddy took oath as Telangana CM on Thursday
Over in Telangana, Congress leader Anumula Revanth Reddy took oath as the state's second chief minister on Thursday, following the party's landmark victory in the assembly polls. While Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka was sworn in as Reddy's deputy, 10 other ministers were given different portfolios. The names of six other ministers are likely to be finalized in the coming days. The state can have 18 ministers, including the chief minister.
