Tents at Raj Bhawan on standby for 3 days, but no Rajasthan government in sight yet
Since Bhajan Lal Sharma was sworn in as the new chief minister of Rajasthan on December 15, he has made two trips to the national capital to meet senior BJP officials.
Sources say that the new administration has informed Raj Bhawan to begin preparations for the swearing-in of the ministers by Monday. News18 learned that the Governor’s House immediately made logistical arrangements.
In fact, tents are already in place for the event. There was significant speculation that this would happen on Wednesday, which did not happen. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot slammed the BJP by highlighting the “desperation” in the absence of a Cabinet even three weeks after it came to power.
So, what is stopping the BJP from going ahead with the formation of the new government?
When asked, BJP state president C P Joshi said: “You will get to know the details about this (government formation) very soon.” Pressed for the names or number of ministers, Joshi said: “You will be informed as soon as more precise details emerge.”
But BJP sources in Jaipur point the finger at the “central leadership”. A senior BJP leader who won this time and is expected to be a cabinet member told News18 on condition of anonymity: “Our mission here is over. The core committee met and sent a draft list of 30 names to New Delhi. We thought the nod would come by “On Wednesday. But that didn’t happen. We’ll have to wait now.” The BJP source added that more than twenty ministers will be sworn in when the approval comes.
Meanwhile, a Rajput BJP leader in Rajasthan told News18 that the names sent are a mix of youngsters and old horses. But, he added, Sharma was keen to give importance to young leadership. The Prime Minister himself is 56 years old, while his two deputies, Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Berwa, are 52 and 54 years old, respectively. The source added that Sharma is keen for his government to also reflect this age group.
“I think the delay on the part of the high command is to ensure that there is no conflict between the high command and the young brigade. With the Lok Sabha elections approaching, no one wants that,” the second source added.
Madan Dilawar from Kota Ramganj Mandi, Sumerpur MLA and the only Kumawat leader to win Juraram Kumawat, Jogeshwar Garg from Jalore, and the tallest Meena leader Kirudi Lal Meena are widely considered to be the front runners for the Cabinet post. Meanwhile, MP-turned-Tijara MLA Mahant Balaknath, Rajasmand MLA Dipti Maheshwari, Degana MLA Ajay Singh and Bikaner’s Sumit Godara are some of the names considered to be front-runners for the post of state minister.
Another reason for the delay is to ensure that there is a careful balance between the different classes so as not to convey the message to any communities that they have been “ignored”. There has been intense pressure during the past few weeks by Rajputs, Brahmins, Gujjars, Meenas and Jats.
In a caste-sensitive society like Rajasthan, the BJP recognizes the importance of not being seen as hurting any section. In 2018, the BJP lost its traditional Rajput support base, which they managed to regain this time by sweeping through Mewar. Likewise, there are 10 Brahmin MLAs this time. Now, they want a fair share of their community in the Rajasthan Power Department.
Resolving the finer details may take some time for BJP president JP Nadda. “We will have to wait till then. As of now, we know as much as you guys (media) know. The moment the gesture comes, you will know immediately. “We will have to wait until then. So far, we know as much as you guys (media) know. The moment the gesture comes, you will know immediately. “Until then, all MLAs have been advised to remain in their respective constituencies from where they won instead of gathering in Jaipur,” Minister said.
