Jaipur, Rajasthan: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to name its Chief Ministerial candidate for Rajasthan, and the suspense is growing. Amidst this, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has made a strategic move by reaching out to over 60 MLAs, consolidating her support and putting pressure on the BJP leadership to choose her as the next Chief Minister.
Raje is a popular leader with a strong track record, but she faces stiff competition from Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, a young and energetic leader who also enjoys the support of a section of the BJP MLAs. The BJP’s decision on the Chief Minister’s post will be crucial in determining the party’s prospects in the next assembly elections.
Rajasthan Assembly Elections
The recently held Rajasthan Assembly Elections took place on November 25, 2023, with the BJP emerging victorious, securing 115 seats out of the 200-member assembly. The incumbent Congress party managed to win only 69 seats. This marked a significant turnaround for the BJP, which had lost the previous assembly elections in 2018 to the Congress.
The BJP’s victory in the Rajasthan assembly elections is attributed to several factors, including a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the Congress government, the BJP’s effective campaign focusing on development and good governance, and the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP’s win in Rajasthan is a significant political development, as it further strengthens the party’s dominance in the northern belt of India. The party is now in power in seven of the ten states in the region.
The appointment of the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan will be crucial in determining the future direction of the state and the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024.