Vasundhara Raje To Mahant Balaknath - A Look At BJP's Chief Minister Probables In Rajasthan

Rajasthan Assembly Election 2023 Results: Will Rajasthan see the rise of another 'Yogi' as chief minister in the form of Mahant Balaknath or can two-time CM Vasundhara Raje overcome the tussle with High Command to bag the top job in Rajasthan, if BJP wins? Read on.

BJP seems all set to win Rajasthan and win big, dislodging the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government. So who will be the chief minister of the state if BJP wins? Here are some probables and the factors that work for or against them. 

Vasundhara Raje: A two-time chief minister of Rajasthan, Raje has shared an uneasy relationship with the top brass in Delhi. While she is BJP's most popular face, several sources say that the High Command will not wish to make her a CM for the third time, especially if the party gets a thumping majority, given her contentious relationship with the central leadership. In 2003, Vasundhara Raje became the first woman to serve as the chief minister of Rajasthan. If the contest in Rajasthan is a close contest - which seems unlikely now - the top brass might have to depend on Raje and her supporters. 

Mahant Balaknath: Will it be the rise of another Yogi following Adityanath in national politics? A BJP Lok Sabha MP from Alwar, he is contesting against Imran Khan of the Congress for the crucial Tijara Assembly seat. The man is already portraying himself as the Adityanath of Rajasthan. Balak Nath is the eighth mahant from Mastnath Mutt of Rohtak. Some leaders have pointed out that his bachelor's status can prove to be an advantage as he can dedicate his entire time to governance.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: The Union Jal Shakti Minister reportedly enjoys the trust of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He began his political journey with the ABVP and became the students’ union president of Jodhpur’s Jai Narain Vyas University in 1992. One negative factor that can work against Shekhawat is his name being linked with the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam.

Satish Poonia: Reports say Punia is also one of the contenders for the post of Chief Minister if BJP wins. Punia has emerged as a major Jat face in state politics. He has served as BJP's state president for three years and a half before the post was handed over to CP Joshi.

Diya Kumari: The Bharatiya Janata Party's sitting MP and party's candidate from Jaipur's Vidyadhar Nagar seat, Diya Kumari is also touted by some sections as a chief ministerial probable. A woman leader from a regal background, there have been talks that Diya Kumari is groomed as a counter to Vasundhara Raje by BJP's central leadership.

Arjun Ram Meghwal: The Union minister who is a former bureaucrat also appears to be a contender for the chief minister’s post. The 69-year-old is one of the Dalit faces in Rajasthan and is known to be PM Modi's good books. Meghwa was an IAS officer and won the Lok Sabha elections from Bikaner in 2009.

Some other names doing the rounds include BJP Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Rajendra Singh Rathore, former Union minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajasthan BJP chief CP Joshi.