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Rajput community calls for ‘Rajasthan Bandh’ over the murder of Karni Sena Chief

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ANI
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karni sena, rajasthan, rajasthan bandh, sukhdev singh gogamedi, gogamedi
Rajput community calls for 'Rajasthan Bandh' over the murder of Karni Sena Chief 2

The Rajput community on Wednesday called for a state-wide bandh over the murder of Karni Sena Chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi. The Chief of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, was shot dead in Jaipur on Tuesday by unidentified bike-borne criminals.

Calling out for immediate action in the case, Bhawani Singh Kalvi, son of Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi, said that the crowd will keep on increasing unless there is a positive result in nabbing those responsible. Urging all party leaders to stand in solidarity, Kalvi said that the incident is above political parties and each one of us is expecting the government to take swift action in the case.

Slamming the Rajasthan government over the incident, protester Kalyan Singh Jadhav said, “The incident is very unfortunate and it is a tight slap on the government of Rajasthan. We will continue the protest unless we get justice and the culprits are punished.”

Meanwhile, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla shared a video of Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi and claimed that the security of the victim was reduced by the Gehlot government. “Congress has a caretaker government in place right now. The BJP government is not in office. Also, the security of the said victim was reduced by Gehlot,” Poonawalla claimed in a post on X.

Taking potshots at the outgoing Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan over the murder of Karni Sena Chief, BJP leader Diya Kumari said that it is a complete intelligence failure. “…He was murdered yesterday. The entire state of Rajasthan is stunned and sad…This was avoidable. There is a Congress government in Rajasthan. He was continuously receiving threats and he had sought enhanced security but it wasn’t done. This was the responsibility of the state government, but we know their attitude. Law and order are zero in Rajasthan. What has happened is wrong…The matter should be taken up in fast-track court and they should be given the strictest of punishments. This was planned; it didn’t happen overnight…Was the state government sleeping? Didn’t they know about it? This means that this is a complete intelligence and law and order failure,” BJP leader Diya Kumari said.

On the other hand, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari blamed the newly elected BJP government for the murder of Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi. “I strongly condemn the incident but if this is the beginning of the BJP, then what will happen next?” Congress’ Pramod Tiwari said.

However, Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra informed us that raids are being conducted at the possible hideouts of the miscreants. “Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi and one of his bodyguards were shot. An accused accompanying the killers was also shot, and he has died. Raids are being conducted at the possible hideouts of the miscreants…We spoke to the Haryana DG and assistance has been sought. The Rohit Godara gang has taken responsibility for the murder; they will be arrested soon,” the Rajasthan DGP said.

Kharge asks Centre to release Rs 18,171 crore for Karnataka drought relief

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ANI
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Kharge asks Centre to release Rs 18,171 crore for Karnataka drought relief 4

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asked the Central government to release Rs 18,171 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for Karnataka reeling under the impact of a severe drought.

Raising the matter in the House during the Zero Hour, the Congress president said Karnataka is grappling with the most severe drought in 123 years and the damage to crops is estimated at over Rs 35,162 crore. According to him, the damage to crops ranges from 40 to 90 per cent.

Kharge said the state government has sought Rs 18,171 crore from the NDRF to help the affected people.

”This financial support is crucial for providing input subsidies, gratuitous relief, and implementing other immediate growth measures due to low rainfall (in Karnataka),” the senior Congress leader said.

He further highlighted that water levels in various reservoirs have reached an alarmingly low mark and there may also be a shortage of drinking water in the coming days.

Kharge also spoke about the flood situations in certain parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai. He also accused the BJP of not paying heed to the problems being faced by people as they have ”won elections”.

Meanwhile, Amee Yajnik of the Congress raised the issue of women’s safety and demanded that all laws concerned should be implemented strictly. She said violence against women in public spaces has a big detrimental effect on the development of a nation and its economy.

Rajya Sabha BJP member Ashok Bajpai highlighted the issues related to the safety and security of on-duty doctors. He said there are about 25 lakh doctors in the country who do a phenomenal job and cited their work during the COVID pandemic.

He suggested that while health is a state subject, the Centre could bring a model law and set up medical tribunals to help doctors facing cases.

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla raised the issue of the plight of undertrials lodged in jails in the country and demanded judicial reforms to deal with the matter. His party colleague Imran Pratapgarhi said the government should focus on improving facilities in trains.

Mizoram: ZPM leader Lalduhoma meets Guv to stake claim to form govt

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ANI
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Mizoram: ZPM leader Lalduhoma meets Guv to stake claim to form govt 6

Zoram People’s Movement leader Lalduhoma met Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Wednesday to stake a claim to form the government.

ZPM emerged victorious in the assembly polls on Monday, bagging 27 of the total 40 seats.

Lalduhoma, an ex-IPS officer who had served as the security in charge of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, held a meeting with the newly elected party candidates and other leaders on Tuesday evening and discussed the formation of the council of ministers and distribution of portfolios, a party leader said.

Members of Val Upa Council, the decision-making body of the ZPM, attended the meeting.

”Lalduhoma is likely to be sworn in as the chief minister on Friday,” a ZPM source said.

Lalduhoma had expressed satisfaction with his party winning a majority of the seats in the House and emphasised the importance of building strong ties with the Union government.

Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas along with election officials called on the governor on Tuesday to hand over the gazette with the names of 40 newly elected candidates in the assembly elections. The ZPM swept the state assembly polls on Monday, dethroning the incumbent Mizo National Front (MNF) which got only 10 seats. The BJP trailed far behind with just two seats and the Congress just one.

Polling for the 40-member assembly polls was held on November 7, where more than 82 per cent of over 8.57 lakh voters exercised their franchise.

Vasundhara Raje deserves to be Rajasthan’s Chief Minister

By
Vaidehi Taman
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vasundhara raje, vasundhara, bjp, assembly elections, rajasthan, ashok gehlot, baba, cp joshi
Vasundhara Raje deserves to be Rajasthan's Chief Minister 8

Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in Rajasthan by winning 115 seats out of the 199 Assembly constituencies, one name is making the rounds in political corridors. He is trending on microblogging sites, and his followers expect him to be the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Vasundhara Raje is a veteran leader and also a grassroots-level leader of the BJP; she has her strength and also deserving candidature. She has held two terms as the chief minister of Rajasthan. She was previously a minister in the Union Cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was India’s first Minister of Small-Scale Industries and Agro and Rural Industries, which are now known as Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. In 2003, she became the first woman to serve as the Chief Minister of the state of Rajasthan. She is currently one of the national vice presidents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A member of the Scindia family, she is also the matriarch of the Bamraulia family of Dholpur.

Balak Nath is not as seasoned or experienced as Vasundhara is, but for some strange reason, the voters of the state want change in the leadership. Even the top leaders of the BJP do not want her to be in the top post but they are not in a mood to take any risk by irking her at this moment. The big question in front of the saffron party is which candidate will become the next Chief Minister. The BJP has not put forward any potential candidates for the Chief Minister position in this year’s assembly polls. Balak Nath, who wears saffron clothes, is considered one of the firebrand leaders of the BJP. He remains in the headlines for his aggressive stance on the Hindutva agenda. He is quite famous among the masses because of his firebrand image. Baba Balaknath belongs to the OBC category.

Balak Nath’s popularity in Alwar is huge. Coming from an agricultural family, he took his first steps into sannyasa at the tender age of six-and-a-half, prompting him to leave home and seek solace in an ashram. He was named Gurumukh by Baba Khetanath at an early age. Balak Nath’s political foray was shaped by his Guru, Mahant Chandnath, a former Member of Parliament from Alwar. Following in his mentor’s footsteps, Balak Nath succeeded him as the head of the Baba Mastnath Mutt in Haryana. A key influence in his political journey is also the support of yoga guru Baba Ramdev. As Balak Nath traverses the campaign trail, a dedicated team from Mahendragarh in Haryana accompanies him, underscoring the widespread backing he enjoys.

He was nominated as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for Lok Sabha from Alwar, Rajasthan, and he won the elections in 2019 by defeating Bhanwar Jitendra Singh of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 3 lakh votes. Balak Nath is also a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Alwar Lok Sabha constituency. He is also called ‘Yogi of Rajasthan’. He contested against Congress’s Imran Khan and won. Balak Nath is being considered for the Chief Ministerial race if the BJP secures a majority.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Baba Balaknath became an MP for the first time after defeating veteran Congress leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh from Alwar. The name ‘Baba’ got a bumper boost in the corridor of politics after giving the contract to the veteran leader of Congress. Recently, Balak Nath came into the limelight when he threatened the DSP of the Rajasthan Police by storming into the police station. Disgruntled with taking custody of a BJP worker, the MP said to the DSP, Mera naam yad rakhana. There are three people on my list; one is an MLA from here, Thanedar of Uttara, and now you are also on my list. Baba Balaknath has a good grip in the surrounding area and he is also very popular among the people for his Hindutva agenda. After Yogi Aditya Nath became the CM of Uttar Pradesh, the people of Rajasthan saw him as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. The elite class of Rajasthan does not want hooligans ruling the state.

Soon, we will know who will be the next CM of the state. The discussion on this has also intensified. Some think tanks also predicted that Vasundhara was going to be the next deserving CM of Rajasthan. 25 Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs met her to give their support. Almost all the legislators are with her. Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Meghwal, and party MPs Baba Balaknath and Diya Kumari, who also won assembly polls, are among the contenders for the CM’s post but I feel Vasundhara is deserving amongst all these contenders because she has experience ruling the state and one cannot refute her huge contribution towards the development of the state.

Former jail inmates planned a scam after release and again got lodged in jail

By
Web Team
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graphic, robbers, thieves, jail, arthur road jail, inmates
Former jail inmates planned a scam after release and again got lodged in jail 10

The accused, Sunil Modi, 67, who has earlier been involved in numerous cheating cases, and Sanket Chavan, 23, a criminal who can speak and imitate a young woman’s voice, met at Arthur Road prison and planned a plot for some business. Both of the accused have a prior criminal record. In prison, they decided to get together after their release from jail.

As per plan, they created a fake profile on a popular matrimonial site, posing as 21-year-old “magistrate Ashwini Manohar Pandit.” After they were out on bail earlier this year, Modi told Chavan that he could arrange forged documents. They then created documents using court stamps that showed that a person called Ashwini Pandit was a magistrate in the city. Based on these documents, they created a fake profile using the photograph of a Nashik-based influencer without her knowledge. Soon, the profile started garnering interest on the website.

The twosome then allegedly threatened to issue warrants against victims if they did not pay up and also created forged warrants to prove the credibility of the threat. When prospective suitors called, Chavan would speak to them as Ashwini.

The police have found that people from across the state, including Nashik, Ratnagiri, and even Mumbai, fell victim to the fraud. Investigators are currently going through the fake profile to find out who else they were in touch with, in a bid to trace the remaining victims.
Deputy Commissioner of Police D. Swamy told the media that the two were nabbed on Monday. A team led by inspector Suvarna Shinde arrested both of them after a software engineer submitted a complaint about having been swindled in a similar manner.

After a few days, the “magistrate” would ask them for money to visit a doctor, claiming that she had forgotten her wallet. “If the victim refused to pay, she would threaten to issue an arrest warrant against them. She would also send photographs of the warrant, which would scare some of them into making payments,” an officer said.

PKL: Ajinkya Pawar puts on superb show as Tamil Thalaivas register win against Dabang Delhi

By
ANI
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ajinkya pawar, tamil thalaivas, pro kabaddi
PKL: Ajinkya Pawar puts on superb show as Tamil Thalaivas register win against Dabang Delhi 12

Tamil Thalaivas’ star raider Ajinkya Pawar was on fire as he went on to register a 21-point haul against the Dabang Delhi K.C. side on Sunday evening. The Tamil Thalaivas walked off the mat as the winners, with the score reading 42-31 in their favour. The contest started off with both sides being watchful in the early minutes.

The early exchanges saw both teams bag a couple of points each, with Ajinkya Pawar and Naveen Kumar getting their teams off the mark. Neither side were ready to blink first, and the Tamil Thalaivas were looking very strong at the back. The trend continued well into the second phase of the first half, as the Tamil Thalaivas and Dabang Delhi K.C. exchanging blows, and not allowing the opposition get a sizeable lead.

Ajinkya Pawar and Sahil Gulia took charge for the Tamil Thalaivas, while Naveen and Ashu Malik were pushing the envelope for the Dabang Delhi K.C. side. With the first half nearing the end, the Tamil Thalaivas landed an all-out on Manjeet, and stormed into the lead. Dabang Delhi K.C. though, were having none of that and went through the gears quickly, with Naveen registering a Super Raid.

At halftime, the Tamil Thalaivas were 4 points ahead, with the contest well and truly on a knife edge. Dabang Delhi K.C. needed to up the ante in the second half, and they gave it their all after the breather. Nonetheless, the Tamil Thalaivas were on a roll. Ajinkya Rawar registered his Super 10, and was ably aided by Narender and Himanshu, which helped them stretch the lead to a 6-point one, early in the second half. At this point, the Tamil Thalaivas were looking to build on their lead, and Ajinkya was marching on towards a 20-point haul.

In the final ten minutes, the game swung in favour of the Tamil Thalaivas, who were on fire in all departments on the day. Dabang Delhi K.C. left no stone unturned in the second half, however, there were a few instances where there was a slip between the cup and the lip, and the opponents made that count. Eventually, the men in yellow, the Tamil Thalaivas stormed over the line, winning the contest with relative ease. The schedule for PKL Season 10 matches on Monday:

Game 1: Puneri Paltan vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – 8 pm Game 2: Bengaluru Bulls vs Bengal Warriors – 9 pm.

Congress in ‘striking distance’ of BJP in terms of vote share: Ramesh on assembly poll results

By
PTI
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jairam ramesh, ucc, uniform civil code, congress, modi govt, modi, narendra modi
Congress in 'striking distance' of BJP in terms of vote share: Ramesh on assembly poll results 14

The Congress said its performance in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh was disappointing, but it was within ”striking distance” of the BJP, going by the vote share.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the good vote share of the party in these states is a reason for hope and revival.

”It is true that the performance of the Indian National Congress in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan was disappointing and far below our own expectations. ”But the vote shares tell a story of a Congress that is not very behind the BJP—in fact, it is within striking distance. This is the reason for hope and revival,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

Giving details, he said in Chhattisgarh that while the BJP’s vote share was 46.3 percent, that of the Congress was 42.2 percent.

In Madhya Pradesh, he said the BJP had a vote share of 48.6 per cent while the Congress had 40.4 percent.

In Rajasthan, Ramesh said that while the BJP had 41.7 per cent of the vote share, the Congress had 39.5 per cent.

He also posted the tagline of opposition bloc INDIA, which plans to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on X: ”Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA”.

The BJP swept Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh on Sunday, inflicting a resounding defeat on the Congress to tighten its stranglehold in the Hindi heartland.

The Congress ousted the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana to make it 3-1 for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the latest round of Assembly elections billed as a semi-final before next year’s poll showdown.

Mizoram Assembly election result: ZPM crosses halfway mark, leads on 22 seats, says ECI trends

By
ANI
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mizoram, elections, elections 2023, mizoram elections, assembly elections, eci
Mizoram Assembly election result: ZPM crosses halfway mark, leads on 22 seats, says ECI trends 16

Early counting trends in Mizoram on Monday showed the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) edging towards victory. According to the Election Commission of India, the ZPM was seen leading in 22 assembly constituencies, while the Mizo National Front (MNF) was leading in 10 seats at 9:52 am.

The Indian National Congress (INC) is leading in one seat and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in two seats. As per the latest Election Commission of India data, Lalduhoma, the ZPM chief ministerial candidate, is leading from Serchhip constituency with 1390 votes.

The counting of votes in elections to the 40-member Mizoram assembly began Monday morning at 8 a.m. The counting is being conducted in 13 centres across the state and in 40 counting halls.

There are 399 EVM tables and 56 postal ballot tables in 40 counting halls across the state. Nearly 4000 personnel are involved in the counting of votes, as per the state election commission.

Counting in the Northeast state, which was initially scheduled for December 3, Sunday, along with four other states, was pushed back by a day following representations to the Election Commission by civil society, citing an important day in the religious calendar in the Christian-majority state. Considering appeals by political parties and civil society organisations, citing the special significance of Sunday for the people of Mizoram, the Election Commission on November 29 officially announced the deferment of the counting of votes in the state to Monday.

Four major contenders are in fray in the northeastern state, which voted to elect its 40-member legislative assembly on November 7. These include the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), the Congress and the BJP.

Mizoram’s political landscape has been dominated by the Congress and the Mizo National Front (MNF) since it attained full statehood in 1987. The President of the MNF and Chief Minister, Zoramthanga, stands out as one of the most prominent figures in this election.

He became Chief Minister after the 1998 Assembly polls, ending Congress’s 10-year rule. The MNF governed for a decade until Congress won in 2008 and 2013. The Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), positioning itself as the primary challenger in this election, has nominated their party vice president, Lalthansanga, as a contender against the three-time Chief Minister.

The elections to the 40-member Mizoram assembly were held on November 7, with the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) facing a stout challenge from the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), Congress, and the BJP. Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed in the innermost Cordon and state police has been deployed in the outer Cordon

“…We started at 8 a.m. with the postal ballots…Now we have started with round one of EVMs…Everything is peaceful… We have 12 counting halls…We are prepared for any victory procession and any celebrations that happen… We have CAPF deployed in the innermost Cordon and state police in the outer Cordon…,” Nazuk Kumar, Deputy Commissioner.

BRS leader KTR expresses disappointment over his party performance, congratulates Congress

By
Afternoon Voice
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ktr, telangana, brs, kcr, congress, assembly elections
BRS leader KTR expresses disappointment over his party performance, congratulates Congress 18

After the latest trends show Congress being poised to form government in Telangana, ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao expressed his disappointment over his party performance and congratulated the grand old party.

“Grateful to the people of Telangana for giving the BRS party two consecutive terms of government. Not saddened over the result today, but surely disappointed as it was not in the expected lines for us. But we will take this in our stride as a learning and will bounce back. Congratulations to the Congress party on winning the mandate. Wishing you Good Luck,” KTR posted on X.

“This one ain’t gonna age well. Missed the mark,” KTR also replied in his own X post which stated “Hattrick Loading 3.0 Get ready to celebrate guys” As per the latest trend from ECI, Congress is leading on 63 seats, while the BRS on 40, BJP on 9, AIMIM on 6 and CPI leading on 1.

Congress workers raise slogans of ‘CM-CM’ in favour of state party president Revanth Reddy, as he arrived at the party office in Hyderabad after it became clear that Congress is winning the state with a clear majority. As Revanth Reddy began his roadshow, a huge gathering assembled cheering him along, waving the party flag.

Earlier today, Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar and other police officials also met Revanth Reddy at his residence in Hyderabad. Celebrations were seen outside the Congress office in Hyderabad over the party crossing the halfway mark comfortably. Party cadres chanted “Bye bye KCR”.

Congress workers poured milk on a poster featuring Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party MP Rahul Gandhi and state party chief Revanth Reddy as the party emerged as the single largest party. The Telangana election result is important for the Congress as a few months are left for the Lok Sabha elections. A win in Karnataka and Telangana stamps the Congress’ presence in the South.

A total of 3.17 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise to elect legislators for a 119-member Assembly. As the Congress crossed the majority mark in Telangana, party’s Member of Parliament Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the party is on road to victory as we corrected the mistakes committed in 2014 and 2018 elections.

Uttam Kumar Reddy told ANI “Congress will form the government. The biggest reason for our win will be that the people of Telangana love the Gandhi family. There is a special place in their hearts. We made a mistake in the 2014 and 2018 elections. This time we corrected ourselves and are on the road to victory.” Telangana went to the polls on November 30. In 2018, BRS (then Telangana Rashtra Samithi) won 88 of the 119 seats and had a 47.4 per cent vote share. The Congress came a distant second with 19 seats.

BJP’s resounding win boosts Shivraj Chouhan as leadership mulls chief ministerial choices in 3 states

By
Afternoon Voice
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shivraj singh chouhan, shivraj, bjp, mp, madhya pradesh, elections, assembly elections
BJP's resounding win boosts Shivraj Chouhan as leadership mulls chief ministerial choices in 3 states 20

All the talk about the BJP looking at an alternative leadership in Madhya Pradesh receded into the background on a day Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made a strong statement about his popular acceptability as the party appeared set to retain power with a stunning two-thirds majority.

The BJP had chosen to head into the assembly polls without naming a chief ministerial face in any of the states.

While Chouhan has emerged as a favourite to remain at the helm in MP despite the presence of some challengers, the leadership race is wide open in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, two states where the BJP has snatched power from the Congress.

Many possible contenders for the top job across the three Hindi-speaking states have not contested the assembly polls but this may not be a factor as the party has in the past placed its trust in leaders who were not a member of state assemblies, such as Yogi Adityanath in 2017.

Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, who contested from Dimani assembly assemby seat, and Jyotiraditya Scindia have long been seen as chief ministerial aspirants in Madhya Pradesh.

In Rajasthan, political watchers believe a comfortable majority for the BJP means that the party leadership may turn to a new face as its chief ministerial choice, even though two-term former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is a natural contender due to her stature and sizeable support base.

Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal, state party president C P Joshi, Diya Kumari, who was among the more prominent faces during the campaign, and Mahant Balaknath are being talked about as probables.

That Meghwal comes from Scheduled Castes and Balaknath is a Yadav, the most numerous OBC community in Hindi-speaking states, and a Hindutva face is seen as an advantage for them.

BJP sources said someone like Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who has been a three-term MLA and enjoys the confidence of the party leadership, will also be a natural contender.

With the next Lok Sabha polls merely four months away, the party is likely to factor in the larger social narrative in picking its chief ministerial choices in the three states, a view which may be handicap for someone like Shekhawat in Rajasthan as he is a Rajput, the caste both Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami come from.

This also favours someone like Chouhan, the only chief minister from the OBC community in the BJP and a popular one at that.

However, some party leaders also pointed out that the results underscore the wider support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda across the states and the verdict should be seen in that context, although in Telangana it remains a distant third despite its vote share and seat tally improving from a low base.

”The mandate gives the party leadership a free hand in deciding on chief ministers on all three states,” a senior leader said, without going into names.

In Chhattisgarh, former chief minister Raman Singh, state BJP president Arun Kumar Sao, leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik and former IAS officer O P Chaudhary are seen by political watchers as among the contenders for the top job.

Except for Singh, all three leaders come from the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

It must be said, though, that the BJP leadership has often surprised observers with its chief ministerial picks in the past.

The latest trends from the Election Commission showed that the BJP was headed to a clear majority in the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly and 200-member Rajasthan assembly while surging to a likely two-thirds majority in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly.

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