Gehlot congratulates BJP’s CM-designate Bhajan Lal Sharma
The surprise choice was announced after the BJP MLAs met here and elected the 56-year-old MLA from Sanganer as the leader of its legislature party.
Ashok Gehlot; Bhajan Lal Sharma (PTI)
JAIPUR: Outgoing Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday congratulated Bhajan Lal Sharma on becoming the leader of the BJP legislature party.
The Congress leader expressed hope that Sharma as the CM will maintain the pace of development and play a play a role in fulfilling the goal of making Rajasthan the country's number one State.
"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to Bhajanlal Sharma on becoming the leader of the BJP legislature party. I hope that while working as the chief minister of Rajasthan, you will maintain the pace of development and play a role in fulfilling the goal of making Rajasthan the number 1 state of the country," Gehlot said in a post on X.
Ending days of speculation that followed its victory in the assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday picked first-time MLA Sharma as Rajasthan's new chief minister.
The surprise choice was announced after the BJP MLAs met here and elected the 56-year-old MLA from Sanganer as the leader of its legislature party.
The CM-designate's name was proposed at the meeting by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who was herself considered to be in the running for the top post.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Sharma, who belongs to Bharatpur district, won the Sanganer constituency with a margin of 48,081 votes.
Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa will be the deputy chief ministers of the state.
The BJP won 115 seats in the recent assembly elections, while the Congress got 69 seats.
Polling was held on 199 of the 200 seats in Rajasthan on November 25.