In a surprising turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sprung a political surprise by announcing Bhajan Lal Sharma, a first-time MLA, as the newly appointed Chief Minister of Rajasthan. This decision came to light after the recently elected BJP MLAs convened in Jaipur, where the 56-year-old debutant legislator was elected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party.
The selection of Sharma for the top post was unexpected, as several prominent party leaders, including former two-time Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, senior state leader Satish Poonia, and Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal, were initially considered front-runners for the Chief Ministerial position.
The announcement came shortly after a group photo of the party MLAs was taken, showcasing Sharma standing in the last row. This rapid elevation to the center stage of state politics underscores the BJP’s confidence in Sharma’s ability to lead the new government.
Hailing from Bharatpur district, Sharma contested and won the recent Assembly election from the Sanganer constituency in Jaipur, securing a decisive victory over Congress candidate Pushpendra Bhardwaj with a margin of over 48,000 votes.
Known within BJP circles as an organizational stalwart, Sharma currently serves as the state BJP general secretary, overseeing the party’s operations at the headquarters in Jaipur. His educational background includes an MA in political science from the University of Rajasthan.
Sharma’s political journey commenced with his involvement in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), where he started as a member of the students’ wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Hailing from Atari village in Bharatpur’s Nadbai, Sharma’s association with ABVP began during his school years, and he later assumed roles as the district co-convener and co-zila pramukh of ABVP in Bharatpur.
During the early 1990s, Sharma actively participated in ABVP’s protests, including a march to Srinagar in 1990 to protest attacks on Kashmiri Pandits and the agitation for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, resulting in his imprisonment.
Transitioning to the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP’s youth wing, Sharma held various leadership positions, becoming the BJYM district president three times. Notably, he served during J.P. Nadda’s tenure as the national president of BJYM.
Sharma’s political journey also includes stints as a sarpanch and Panchayat Samiti member. Despite an unsuccessful attempt in the 2003 Assembly election from Nadbai constituency on the Rajasthan Samajik Nyay Manch’s (RSNM) ticket, he continued to rise within the BJP ranks, eventually becoming the president of the BJP’s Bharatpur district unit and then the state party vice-president.
The Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, who observed the BJP Legislature Party meeting, revealed that Vasundhara Raje proposed Sharma’s name as the leader, a proposal unanimously endorsed by other party legislators. This unexpected decision marks a new chapter in Rajasthan’s political landscape, with Bhajan Lal Sharma entrusted with the responsibility of leading the state under the BJP banner.
Meet Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa, Rajasthan’s deputy CMs-elect
Jaipur, December 12 (PTI) Diya Kumari, a prominent member of the BJP and deputy chief minister of Rajasthan alongside Prem Chand Bairwa, hails from the former royal family of Jaipur and has served as a two-time MLA.
Diya Kumari, a Rajput leader within the party, previously held the position of Member of Parliament from Rajsamand. She emerged victorious in the Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency in Jaipur with an impressive margin of 71,368 votes. The 51-year-old BJP leader entered the legislative arena for the first time in 2013 when she won from Sawai Madhopur. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she further solidified her political standing by securing a seat as a Member of Parliament.
Notably, Diya Kumari is the daughter of the former Jaipur Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh. Her father, a distinguished figure, served as a Lieutenant Colonel and Commanding Officer of the Para Commandos of the 10th Parachute Regiment, earning recognition for his role in the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.
Bairwa, a two-time MLA and a notable Dalit representative within the BJP, secured victory in the Dudu constituency during the state assembly elections held on November 25. At 54 years old, Bairwa brings his experience and diverse background to the political landscape.
Representing the Dudu Vidhan Sabha constituency of Jaipur, the 54-year-old MLA won his seat in the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly Elections by defeating Congress candidate Babulal Nagar with a huge margin of 35,743 votes.
Bairwa made a glorious comeback in this year’s state assembly polls after he faced a defeat in 2018’s results. In 2018, he lost the seat to Babu Lala Nagar by a margin of 14,779 votes.
