Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan: BJP selects observers to pick new chief ministers; here's the list

As the suspense over the chief minister faces for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan continues, the Bharatiya Janta Party on Friday released the list of observers for the states. As per the list, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde and Rajya Sabha MP Saroj Pandey have been chosen as observers for Rajasthan. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP National President K Laxman and BJP National Secretary Asha Lakra will look into Madhya Pradesh. Union Ministers Arjun Munda and Sarbananda Sonowal, and National General Secretary Dushyant Gautam will look after Chhattisgarh.

In the recently held elections, BJP won with a thumping majority in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The BJP fought the elections without naming any chief ministerial candidate. The observers are expected to chair meetings of the newly elected MLAs in the three states and pick up the suitable candidate with maximum support. As per India Today sources, new chief ministers for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan may be named over the weekend.

Earlier it was reported that BJP is planning to give the responsibility of the chief minister's post to new faces in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. 

Though Chief Minister Shivraj Singh and former CM Vasundhara Raje remain the top contenders for the CM post in their respective states, there were reports that BJP may choose younger faces to attract the young voters.

In Chhattisgarh, too, the saffron party is likely to go beyond Dr Raman Singh, who held the post for 15 years. Renuka Singh is one of the front-runners to become the chief minister of Chhattisgarh. On Thursday, she met  BJP president JP Nadda at his residence in Delhi.

Besides Renuka Singh, other names doing the rounds for the top job are former party state chief Vishnu Deo Sai and of course, Raman Singh.

In Madhya Pradesh, besides Chouhan, Union ministers Prahlad Patel, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar are being seen as among the probables.

In Rajasthan, besides Raje, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, ‘Yogi of Rajasthan’ Baba Balak Nath and Diya Kumari are the top leaders in the fray. Raje and her son Dushyant Singh has met  BJP chief JP Nadda in Delhi. As per sources, she claims to have support of MLAs.