BJP Considers Fresh Chief Minister Face in 3 States

New Delhi: The BJP may choose new faces for Chief Minister posts in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where it posted thumping poll victories, according to sources in the party. The selection would be done keeping the 2024 general election in mind, the sources added. While the party has former Chief Ministers who have been re-elected in all the three states – – Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje and Raman Singh –, BJP sources said a generational change cannot be ruled out when the party leadership picks its Chief Ministers. The BJP won the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, results of which were declared on Sunday. The party’s central leadership has been holding discussions on the Chief Minister probables in the three states. A four-and-a-half hour meeting was held at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence yesterday, during which the frontrunners in the three states were considered. The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda. This marathon meeting followed a series of meetings held by Mr Shah and Mr Nadda with the BJP’s in-charges of these states to gather feedback about state leaders. The BJP’s central leadership is likely to appoint observers for the three states soon. These observers will oversee meetings of newly elected MLAs in the three states to elect their leaders in the Assembly. Several names are doing the rounds for the Rajasthan top post too. While former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been elected as an MLA, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal, state party president C P Joshi, and prominent leaders Diya Kumari and Mahant Balaknath are being seen as probables. Former Chief Minister Raman Singh is among the contenders in Chhattisgarh. State BJP president Arun Kumar Sao, leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik and former IAS officer O P Chaudhary are also being seen as contenders for the Chief Minister post. It must, however, be kept in mind that the BJP leadership is known to spring a surprise with its choices. Amid speculation over the BJP’s chief minister picks in the three heartland states it just won, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today appeared to send a message to the party leadership without really pushing his case. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a fourtime Chief Minister, led his party to a historic victory in Madhya Pradesh on the back of schemes like “Ladli behena” but may still not get the job again, with the party consulting with other possible candidates and leaning towards a generational change. Speaking to reporters during an event in Bhopal to mark the death anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, Mr Chouhan said, “I paid tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar. The BJP government is following the path shown by him, under the leadership of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, we are working for the welfare of the last person in society.” The remark was seen by many as a subtle attempt by the Chief Minister to remind the party leadership of how his government’s welfare schemes such as Ladli Behna played a key role in winning the election for the BJP. This comes at a time when there is talk of the BJP considering completely new faces instead of veterans while choosing Chief Ministers for the heartland states, with an eye on the bigger election due next year. Ever since the BJP scored a thumping win in Madhya Pradesh – 163 out of 230 seats – Mr Chouhan has insisted that he is a footsoldier of the party and that he is “not in the race”. In an interaction with reporters, also yesterday, Mr Chouhan said his next goal was to ensure the BJP’s victory in all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the general election next year. The BJP won 28 out of the 29 seats last year, one going to the Congress. Careful to not be seen as lobbying for the top post, Mr Chouhan has stayed away from Delhi. “I am not going to Delhi. Tomorrow, I will go to Chhindwara where we were not able to win all the 7 seats of Vidhan Sabha. I have only one resolution: the BJP should win all 29 seats of Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections. We want to prepare a garland for Prime Minister Modi. It will be made of 29 lotuses that we present to him when he becomes Prime Minister again,” he said yesterday. Following his victory, the Chief Minister visited two night shelters in Bhopal to take stock of the arrangements ahead of winter. He also tasted the food at the night shelter. He also went to a locality in Bhopal and met a group of ‘Ladli Behna’ beneficiaries. A viral video showed him and his wife dining and interacting with people at a restaurant. The activities appear to be aimed at creating a perception that the 64-year-old has his ear close to the ground and is not part of any race for power. The BJP leadership has been meeting with leaders from the three states as part of the brainstorming to choose Chief Ministers who will lead the heartland into the key elections next year. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda today met with key leaders from each state. A marathon meeting was held at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence last night to discuss the frontrunners in the three states.

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