BHOPAL:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to disclose the identity of the next Madhya Pradesh chief minister today, December 11. This decision comes as three central observers from the BJP, among them Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, have convened in Bhopal. Their purpose is to engage in discussions with the newly-elected party MLAs and finalize the selection of the state's next chief minister. A roster of prominent contenders vying for the Madhya Pradesh chief ministerial role includes the four-time MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Prahlad Patel, recently elected Dimani MLA Narendra Tomar, influential figure from Indore Kailash Vijayvargiya, state unit chief VD Sharma, and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The BJP reaffirmed its authority in Madhya Pradesh following the November 17 elections, securing 163 seats in the 230-member assembly. This victory positioned the Congress as a distant second with 66 seats.
Top Contenders for Madhya Pradesh CM Post:
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a four-time occupant of the chief minister's seat in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as one of the primary contenders for the position. He assumed the top post in 2005, 2008, 2013, and 2020. While Chouhan remains a frontrunner, speculation heightened following his cryptic tweet, "Sabhi ko Ram Ram," causing a stir within political circles.
Other significant contenders for the MP CM role include Prahlad Patel, an OBC leader akin to Chouhan, former Union minister and newly-elected Dimani MLA Narendra Tomar, influential Indore figure Kailash Vijayvargiya, state unit chief VD Sharma, and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Notably, since 2003, all three BJP chief ministers in MP—Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur, and Chouhan--have hailed from the Other Backward Classes.
The imminent announcement stands to potentially extend Shivraj Singh Chouhan's tenure, marking his fifth term as Madhya Pradesh's Chief Minister, solidifying the BJP's continued dominance in the state.
