Top Body to Select Rajasthan CM: BJP Hints at Shock Nominee

New Delhi: The BJP legislature party in Rajasthan is likely to meet by the end of this week or early next week to elect its leader, who will be the next chief minister of the state. Amid speculations of the BJP parliamentary board meeting soon to finalise the names of chief ministerial candidates for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, party president J.P. Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Tuesday evening to likely discuss the CM picks.

The names of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Vidhyanagar MLA and member of the Jaipur royal family Diya Kumari, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tijara MLA Mahant Balaknath Yogi, Hawamahal MLA Acharya Balmukand, among others, are doing the rounds within the BJP to be the next chief minister of Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, in Jaipur, winning MLAs and even some independent candidates met Ms Raje and BJP state unit chief C.P. Joshi. While more than 40 MLAs have met Ms Raje since Monday, over a dozen MLAs have also met Mr Joshi and BJP's state incharge Arun Singh.

Some senior BJP leaders, who were denied tickets this time, also met Ms Raje, who is considered the top contender for the post and is said to have the backing of more than 40 MLAs. However, the BJP has made it clear to its state leadership that only the party's parliamentary board will take the final decision on the issue.

When asked about the chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan, one of the BJP MPs from the state and now an MLA from Sawai Madhopur, Kirodi Lal Meena, told a news agency, "The Prime Minister brings before the public decisions which no one can think of or carry an element of shock...The name (of the CM candidate will be) that clicks with Modi ji, a person who can govern well and also help us win all 25 Lok Sabha seats (will be the chief minister)."

Mr Meena rejected suggestions that he was also in the race. "I am not in line for the post of chief minister. I'm on the verge of retirement," said Mr Meena.