Rajasthan Election Results 2023: Vasundhara Raje has been doing a round of temples since election.
The BJP's only pan-Rajasthan leader, Vasundhara Raje, remains muted on the biggest talking point as her party heads for a huge victory in the state -- whether she would get another shot at the top job. "No other questions," was how the former Chief Minister responded after praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party's chief strategist Amit Shah and JP Nadda following her win from Jhalrapatan -- the fifth in a row.
Rajasthan arguably has the largest number of Chief Ministerial hopefuls. Besides Ms Raje, the list includes Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, Satish Poonia, state BJP chief CP Joshi, Diya Kumari and the state's very own 'Yogi', Baba Balak Nath.
The results, though, are expected to pare down the list. Satish Poonia has lost the electoral battle and without special dispensation from the party's Central leadership, will have to drop out.
That Ms Raje, head and shoulders above the field, may have to sit out this term is the buzz in the state.
The 70-year-old has been doing a round of temples since the election got over on November 25.
"This is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Sabka saath sabka vikas' (Development for all) philosophy, the strategy of Amit Shah and the leadership of JP Nadda, of the hard work of our party workers and the will of the people, who will give a chance to the Prime Minister to serve them again," she told reporters.
The BJP has contested this election in all three heartland states under the banner of PM Modi following a decision of its parliamentary party. The gambit paid off and the party is fairly set achieve comfortable majority in all three states.
Its Rajasthan leaders now are referring all questions on the top post to the party's central leadership.
"The top leadership of the party will decide on who will be the Chief Minister," Diya Kumari said. The central leaders, as is their SOP, are giving nothing away.
At 3.30 pm, the BJP is leading in 115 of the state's 119 seats, well over the halfway mark of 101. The party has added 43 seats to their 2018 score. The Congress, ahead in just 69 seats, is down by 31.