The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to select Chief Ministers for three key states in India, namely Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha election, according to party sources. It is expected that new faces may be chosen for the top positions in all three states.
The BJP emerged victorious in the recent Assembly polls held in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, results of which were announced on Sunday. Following the election outcomes, the party’s central leadership has been engaged in discussions to determine potential Chief Minister candidates for the three states.
A significant four-and-a-half hour meeting took place at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Monday, where the frontrunners for the top positions in the three states were deliberated upon. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP chief JP Nadda.
This lengthy meeting followed a series of consultations held by Shah and Nadda with the BJP’s representatives in these states, in order to gather feedback about potential state leaders.
It is anticipated that the BJP’s central leadership will soon appoint observers for the three states. These observers will oversee meetings of the newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in the respective states, where they will elect their leaders in the Assembly.
In Madhya Pradesh, incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is considered a strong contender for the top post, along with Union ministers Prahlad Patel, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Narendra Singh Tomar, as well as senior state leader Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Former Chief Minister Raman Singh is among the contenders in Chhattisgarh. State BJP president Arun Kumar Sao, leader of the opposition Dharamlal Kaushik, and former IAS officer O P Chaudhary are also being seen as potential challengers for the Chief Minister position.
However, it should be noted that the BJP leadership is known for surprising choices in such matters.
