BJP keeps cards close to chest, yet to announce observers for 3 states

Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda had met in Parliament Monday, and the party’s Parliamentary Board had also met a day earlier.

Rajasthan was very quiet Tuesday, a day after buzz in the state that a dinner was held for MLAs at former chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s residence Monday night. However, sources close to Raje said that there was no such dinner, and that about 28 MLAs had gone to meet her through Monday, with no common congregation taking place. BJP state spokesperson Lakshmikant Bhardwaj told The Indian Express, “We have no information of any dinner. People indeed went to meet her individually. As for the chief ministerial candidate question, the decision will now be initiated from Delhi.”

In Chhattisgarh, police barricades have been placed outside the houses of Renuka Singh and Raman Singh, which led to some speculation Tuesday. Ramvichar Netam’s house being next to Raman Singh’s, it also got covered in the enhanced security arrangements. Elected MLAs in Chhattisgarh, who were in Raipur Monday to meet Om Mathur at the party headquarters, left for their respective constituencies Tuesday. Many of the MLAs had also met Raman Singh Monday at his residence.

MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited night shelters for the poor (Ren Basera) Tuesday night, apart from a visit to the medical college. On Wednesday, Chouhan will be in Chhindwara. On Monday, he had a quiet family meal at the famous Manohar Dairy in Bhopal, and no activity apart from these has been noticed in the state in connection with the CM question.

Some of the victorious MLAs from the three states are in Delhi, as they are serving MPs till they take oath as MLAs. The BJP had fielded 18 MPs in the three states, and 12 of them won. They are now in Delhi to attend the ongoing Parliament session.

In Delhi, the party is right now tongue-tied on the happenings, after the Parliamentary Board meeting Sunday and the meeting of Shah and Nadda Monday. While a section of party insiders believes that there will be new CM faces in all three states – with perhaps some surprise names – another section believes that Chouhan’s claim will be difficult to overlook after the party’s stupendous victory in Madhya Pradesh.