Rajasthan new CM Updates: Bhajan Lal Sharma meets Governor, stakes claim to form government

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot extended wishes to the Chief Minister-elect Bhajan Lal Sharma and expressed hope that he will “maintain the pace of development” of the state. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Shri Bhajanlal Sharma on being made the leader of BJP Legislative Party. I hope that while working as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, you will maintain the pace of development of the state and will play a role in fulfilling the goal of making Rajasthan the number 1 state of the country,” he said.

On Bhajanlal Sharma being elected as the CM, Rajasthan BJP MLA Rajyavardhan Rathore said the party makes decisions after careful consideration. "Rajasthan BJP has received a strong leadership. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all our senior leaders," he added. 

The Chief Minister-designate Bhajan Lal Sharma has reached the Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government in the state. 

Bhajan Lal Sharma will be the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan. His name was proposed by Vasundhara Raje.  Sharma ias an MLA from Sanganer. 

The legislative party meeting has begun in Jaipur to pick Rajasthan's next Chief Minister. According to sources, the state is likely to get a woman Chief Minister. 

According to sources, Rajasthan is also likely to have two Deputy Chief Ministers like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. 

According to sources, Vasundhara Raje will not be the next Chief Minister. They said that discussions are going on three names. Diya Kumari, Anita Bhadel and Kirodi Lal Meena are frontrunners for Rajasthan's CM post, they added.

BJP central observers for Rajasthan, Rajnath Singh, Vinod Tawde, Saroj Pandey along with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP leaders CP Joshi, Vasundhara Raje and other leaders assembled for a photo session at the BJP office in Jaipur. Raje was seen sitting beside Rajnath Singh in the first row. The legislative party meeting is to begin shortly in Jaipur. 

Rajnath Singh, Vinod Tawde, Saroj Pandey, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Phralad Joshi, Vasundhara Raje and CP Joshi reached Hotel Lalit, while Siddhi Kumari arrived at the BJP office.

BJP leaders Satish Punia and Rajendra Rathod reached the BJP office ahead of the legislature party meeting.

Vasundhara Raje receives Rajnath Singh and other BJP observers in Jaipur. Earlier, BJP central observers for Rajasthan, Rajnath Singh and Vinod Tawde along with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had left for Jaipur.

BJP leader Kailash Chaudhary has been suddenly asked to come to Jaipur from Delhi, said the sources.

BJP central observers for Rajasthan, Rajnath Singh and Vinod Tawde along with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi leaved for Jaipur.

9 women MLAs of BJP in Rajasthan. The sources said the BJP may pick a woman for the CM post.

• 1. Vasundhara Raje Scindia: Raje won the Jhalrapatan constituency by defeating Congress candidate Ramlal Chouhan with a margin of 53,193 votes. 
• 2. Diya Kumari: She won the Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency by defeating Congress candidate Sitaram Agarwal with a margin of 71,368 votes. 
• 3. Anita Bhadel: She won the Ajmer South constituency by defeating Congress candidate Dr Dropdi Koli with a margin of 4,446 votes. 
• 4. Siddhi Kumari: Kumari won the Bikaner East constituency by defeating Congress candidate Yashpal Gehlot with a margin of 19,303 votes. 
• 5. Dr Manju Baghmar: She won the Jayal constituency by defeating Congress candidate Dr Manju Devi with a margin of 1,565 votes. 
• 6. Deepti Kiran Maheshwari: Maheshwari won the Rajsamand constituency by defeating Congress candidate Narayan Singh Bhati with a margin of 31,962 votes. 
• 7. Kalpana Devi: Devi won the Ladpura constituency by defeating Congress candidate Naimuddin Guudu with a margin of 25,522 votes. 
• 8. Shobha Chauhan: Chauhan won the Sojat constituency by defeating Congress candidate Niranjan Arya with a margin of 31,772 votes. 
• 9. Nauksham Chaudhary: Nauksham won the Kaman constituency by defeating Independent candidate Mukhtyar Ahmad with a margin of 13,906 votes.

Siddhi Kumari joined the group of probable names who could be picked by the party for the chief minister post.

Anita Bhadel entered the Rajasthan chief minister race after Shrichand Kriplani, claimed the sources.

"The same procedure as Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will be followed here (to decide the CM). The Observers are coming today," said Rajasthan BJP MLA Jogeshwar Garg.

Shrichand Kriplani represented the Nimbahera Assembly constituency four times in 1990, 1998, 2013 and 2023 and the Chittorgarh Lok Sabha seat twice in 1999 and 2004.

Shrichand Kriplani again won the Nimbahera constituency in 2013 by defeating Congress candidate Udayalal Anjana with a margin of 3,370 votes. Anjana again avenged his defeat in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly Election when he defeated Kriplani by 11,908 votes.

Kriplani was defeated by Congress leader Girija Vyas from Chittorgarh in the 2009 Lok Sabha Election by 72,778 votes.

Kriplani again won the Nimbahera constituency in 1998 by defeating Congress candidate Kishan Lal Dhakar with a margin of 11,310 votes.

Shrichand Kriplani won the Nimbahera constituency in 1990 by defeating Congress candidate Udayalal Anjana with a margin of 7,634 votes. Anjana defeated Kriplani in the 1993 Rajasthan Assembly Election by 12,736 votes.

Shrichand Kriplani also served as the Housing and Urban Development Minister under Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan from 2016 to 2018.

Shrichand Kriplani won the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly Election from Nimbahera by defeating Congress leader Udayalal Anjana with a margin of 3,845 votes.

A new name - Shrichand Kriplani - is in the air for the CM post. He is considered close to former chief minister Vasundhara Raje. He comes from Sindhi community and is the MLA from Nimbahera.

Former MLA Prahlad Gunjal reached Vasundhara Raje's residence. Yesterday Prahlad Gunjal's name came up for lobbying of BJP MLAs.

Another MLA Pratap Singhvi arrived at former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje's residence in Jaipur. A total five MLAs huddled at her residence ahead of crucial BJP Legislature party meet.

Four Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs reached Vasundhara Raje's residence ahead of BJP legislative party meeting.

When asked about the new legislators who met former chief minister Vasundhara Raje at her home Monday, Kirodi Lal Meena said 17 MLAs visited him as well after the results and this should not be seen as lobbying. Meena resigned from the Rajya Sabha after his election as an MLA.

BJP MLA Jogeshwar Garg said the observers will hold one-on-one talks with the MLAs before the meeting to formally elect the legislature party leader, or the CM-designate.

The MLAs were informed Monday about the meeting of the legislature party, where the BJP's central leadership will make known its choice for the post, nine days after the results of the November 25 elections came in. The BJP won 115 seats out of the 199 where polling took place. Polling was postponed in one constituency due to the death of a candidate.

Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Ashwini Vaishnaw are said to be in the running for the CM’s post in Rajasthan. However, in Chhattigarh and Madhya Pradesh, the BJP resorted to its old pattern to pick a surprising name for the CM post. It would be no wonder if it crowns someone who is not in the race to be the next chief minister.