Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Lobbying continued for the third day on Wednesday for the post of Chief Minister.
After the resignation of MPs from Parliament, who won the recently held assembly election, it seemed they may be given some important assignments in the state.
After putting in their papers as Parliamentarians, they are trying to play some roles in the state.
It is not yet known whether the party leadership will continue Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister or give the command to someone else.
Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is ahead of all contenders in case party leadership should hand over the command of the state to someone other than Chouhan.
If it is done, there will not be resentment among the party leaders. Tomar, considered close to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, met national president of the party JP Nadda in Delhi.
After Tomar the name of Prahlad Patel is doing the rounds for the coveted post. Patel is a seven-time MP.
If Patel is not made the Chief Minister, he may be appointed deputy chief minister.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has also become very active after the results of the assembly election were out.
Nevertheless, it may be difficult for the party’s central leadership to appoint Scindia as chief minister.
The names of national general secretary of the party Kailash Vijayvargiya and party’s state unit president are also doing the rounds.
According to sources in the party, the central leadership may spring a surprise by announcing the name of any leader for the top post.
After Shivraj, VD says he is not in race
BJP state unit president VD Sharma has said he is not in the race for the post of Chief Minister. His statement came after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he was not a contender for the post.
In an informal chat with the media on Wednesday, Sharma said his name was doing the rounds for the post.
Neither he has any crave for the post, Sharma said, adding that he is exactly doing the task given to him.
So discussing the name of contenders for the post of chief minister is not my job, and those who are supposed to do that are working on it, he said.
The party has swung into action to campaign – Modi is in every booth – for the Lok Sabha elections, Sharma said.
The statements of Chouhan and Sharma indicate that they want to keep away from the turmoil over the post of Chief Minister.
Modi, Shah hold meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a closed-door meeting on Wednesday over the names of chief ministers for MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
According to sources, the members of the BJP in three states will be held either on Saturday or on Sunday when the names of chief ministers may be announced.
