Rajasthan CM oath likely on Wednesday; BJP observers set out for formalities
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, December 9: The newly-elected MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have begun arriving in Jaipur ahead of the legislature party meeting to finalize the next chief minister of Rajasthan. The BJP legislature party meeting in Rajasthan is likely on Sunday.
The central observers of the BJP led by Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh will begin meeting state party leaders on Saturday. The observers are likely to meet a few of the BJP MLAs as well.
The state unit of the BJP in Rajasthan is abuzz with the possibility that thext chief minister of the state will take oath on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to attend the oath taking ceremony, said informed sources in the BJP.
The central observers of the BJP are expected to wrap up the formalities to get the stamp of the state legislature party on the name of the chief minister decided by the party high commad. It may be noted that the leader of the legislature party takes oath as the chief minister.
While the central observers give a semblance of a democratic exercise in electing the leader of the legislature party, the reality suggests that the party high command decides the name and the party gets approval for the decision.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje camped in New Delhi amid parleys among the top party leaders ahead of the announcement of the name of the state CM. The BJP president JP Nadda has also met the former Lok Sabha of the party and the front runner for the top post in the state Balak Nath. Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal are also among the chief ministerial hopefuls. Diya Kumai’s name is also being taken as a possible surprise choice for the post of the chief minister in Rajasthan. Former Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena is also fancying his chance as the next chief minister of Rajasthan.
A senior BJP leader said that the next government in Rajasthan has to be formed before December 16 when ‘Malamas’ will begin during which it is said that the time is inauspicious for a new work. With the BJP likely to announce the name of the CM on Sunday, the party may take some time on the state Cabinet formation.
There is a likelihood of two deputy chief ministers also taking oaths along with the chief minister in Rajasthan. With this, the BJP will be carrying the tradition of Uttar Pradesh where the party experimented with two deputy chief ministers to balance the caste equations. Former Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and Diya Kumari are among the likely candidates for the posts of deputy chief ministers. The BJP may get a dalit deputy chief minister in Rajasthan also. Dalit vote base is crucial in at least 50 of the Assembly seats in Rajasthan.
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