Name of new Rajasthan Chief Minister decided in 15 minutes, silence after announcement

Jaipur, Dec 12 (IANS) The name of first-time MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma as the new Rajasthan Chief Minister was decided in 15 minutes, as per party sources, but was so unexpected that there was silence in the meeting after the announcement.

After senior leader and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje proposed Sharma's name, Defence Minister and central observer Rajnath Singh asked the MLAs that if there is any other name, then the MLA can say it.

However, not a single MLA spoke and thus in 15 minutes, the new Chief Minister was decided.

Sources said that the decision to make Sharma the Chief Minister was already made in in Delhi and the observers were allegedly given a sealed envelope, which was opened only in the legislature party meeting.

Before the meeting of the legislature party, Rajnath Singh had held discussions with Vasundhara Raje and state President C.P. Joshi in the hotel.

As soon as the meeting started, Rajnath Singh gave a slip to Vasundhara Raje, which contained the name of the new Chief Minister and she proposed the name.

The same pattern was adopted in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh also.

As per sources, the instruction from the high command to Rajnath Singh was that Vasundhara Raje will make the proposal.

Rajnath Singh was specifically sent an observer with the responsibility to get the name of the new CM proposed by her. It was thus, he had held discussions with her as soon as he reached Jaipur and it is said that Vasundhara Raje did not agree on some names. However, she did not object to Sharma's name.

Premchand Bairwa, who was made Deputy Chief Minister, is also believed to be inclined towards Vasundhara Raje.

As soon as the legislative party meeting started, Joshi gave a short speech in which he said that the BJP "is a disciplined party and decisions are taken here as per the customs and policies of the organisation".

"Being disciplined party workers, we all have been accepting the decisions of the central leadership. This has been our tradition. Even today the same tradition has to be followed," he said and then called on Rajnath Singh to speak and he made the same points.

After finishing his speech, Rajnath Singh asked Vasundhara Raje to propose the name of the Chief Minister.

Sharma did not meet any leader of the high command after the elections. He remained in Jaipur and did not even go to Delhi.

Before the legislative party meeting, even he himself did not know that he was going to become the Chief Minister as the entire process was kept confidential. He came to know only when Vasundhara Raje proposed his name and everyone supported it.

Sources said Sharma is considered close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and this played a big role in his elevation. PM Narendra Modi, Shah, and party President J.P. Nadda together finalised Sharma's name after discussing names of half a dozen leaders but there were some political obstacles that kept them out of the reckoning.