Vasundhara Raje heads for Delhi as suspense continues over new Rajasthan CM

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje left for Delhi from the Jaipur airport this evening, news agency ANI reported. Raje, a two-time chief minister of Rajasthan and powerful woman leader from the state, is among the contenders for the top post. She is credited to have played crucial role in the BJP's massive win against Congress. 

The BJP, which wrested Rajasthan from Congress after winning 115 of 199 seats, is yet to pick its chief minister for the state. Reports say that the saffron party may go for a younger face this time, denying Raje a third term. 

Besides Vasundhara Raje, other names doing rounds for the chief minister's post are Diya Kumari, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Baba Balak Nath. While Shekhawat is a minister in the Centre, Diya Kumari is the sitting MP from Rajsamand, and Baba Balak Nath is the Lok Sabha MP from Alwar. They all had contested assembly elections and won from their respective seats. 

Diya Kumari, the granddaughter of Gayatri Devi, is said to be the key to countering the Vasundhara factor because of being a woman, and her royal past. She was initially considered an outsider in Sawai Madhopur, but because of developmental work in the constituency, she became popular.

Diya comes from the Rajput community. Raje was initially credited with bringing her into state politics but later, the two of them were involved in a bitter property dispute when Vasundhara was the chief minister.

India Today has learnt that Vasundhara Raje, Diya Kumari (who contested and won from the Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency), and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are among the top names being considered for Rajasthan's Chief Minister.