Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma firms up his grip

After being on shaky ground for more than a year, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma seems to be consolidating his position with decisive actions ahead of the second anniversary of his government. Mr. Sharma, 58, is one of the longest-serving leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has previously been appointed the party’s State general secretary four times.

The BJP’s upper caste Brahmin face, who was the first-time MLA from Jaipur district’s Sanganer seat, was picked by the party in a surprise move to head its government in Rajasthan in December 2023. He surpassed several veteran leaders to become the 14th Chief Minister of the State after maintaining a low profile for several years.

In the murky political waters of the desert State, Mr. Sharma has faced the challenge of governance while dealing with the ruling party’s powerful factions led by former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, maverick leader Kirodi Lal Meena, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and BJP State president Madan Rathore. He also dealt with constant criticism by the Opposition Congress’s leaders.

Earlier BJP governments in the State were voted out of power primarily because of lack of coordination between the administration and the party organisation. With critics, political observers, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) cadre keenly watching him, Mr. Sharma has had his task cut out, while seeking to quell doubts about his leadership.

Earlier this year, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot claimed that a “conspiracy” was being hatched by some people within the BJP to topple Mr. Sharma; this created a flutter in political circles. While BJP leaders dismissed Mr. Gehlot’s claims as baseless, Mr. Sharma became cautious of his status in the party and turned his attention towards highlighting development works. At the same time, Ms. Raje was sidelined in important party matters. This helped Mr. Sharma strengthen his position.

The defeat of BJP candidate Morpal Suman in the Assembly by-election at Baran district’s Anta seat last month also helped reinforce Mr. Sharma’s leadership. Mr. Suman, a grassroots leader with RSS connections, was known to be close to the Vasundhara Raje family, which played a part in his rise in the Hadoti region. His candidature was reportedly finalised without taking the Chief Minister into confidence.

While the defeat in Baran was an embarrassment for the ruling party, Mr. Sharma has since redirected attention to mid-term actions and achievements and efforts to strengthen coordination between the government and BJP workers. The recent reshuffle in the State’s bureaucracy, in which Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant was shifted to the Centre on deputation in the middle of his tenure, had the clear stamp of approval from Mr. Sharma. Mr. Pant had developed friction with the Chief Minister’s Officer after allegedly being sidelined in key decision-making. He has been replaced with V. Srinivas, who spent the last seven years on deputation in New Delhi.

The BJP government won the trust of disillusioned youth with actions on competitive exam paper leaks and job announcements. The launch of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project and the Yamuna water agreement with Haryana were hailed as initiatives that would significantly resolve the issue of shortage of drinking and irrigation waters in a large number of districts.

The State government hosted the ‘Rising Rajasthan’ global investment summit in Jaipur in December 2024, which facilitated the signing of MoUs worth ₹35 lakh crore. Mr. Sharma announced recently that the execution of projects worth ₹7 lakh crore based on these MoUs has already started, while the first Pravasi Rajasthani Diwas will be observed on December 10.

He has called upon party workers to highlight his government’s achievements during the last two years. Special programmes marking the government’s second anniversary later this month have been designed to bolster various sectors with a particular focus on agriculture, tourism, and industry.

While the anniversary celebrations are expected to bring benefits to farmers, livestock breeders, and various business sectors, aiming to accelerate the State’s economic growth and foster overall development, Mr. Sharma needs to demonstrate a united face of the ruling party, remain focused on governance, and reach out to those sections of society which have reservations about the BJP.