The BJP secured victory in Rajasthan on Sunday by winning 115 seats out of the 199 contested, maintaining the state’s three-decade pattern where voters tend to reject the incumbent party. The Congress, which had formed the government in 2018 under Ashok Gehlot, could only manage to win 69 seats. The rest were won by independents and other parties. The BJP will have to choose its chief minister from among the newly elected MLAs, as it had not declared any candidate before the polls.

In a stunning turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Bhajan Lal Sharma as its chief ministerial candidate for Rajasthan on Monday, just three days before the assembly elections. Sharma, a four-time MLA from Sanganer constituency, was not among the frontrunners for the post and his name came as a surprise to many, including his own party workers.

Sharma, 55, is a loyalist of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who was sidelined by the BJP high command after the party’s poor performance in the 2018 elections. Raje, who had been campaigning for her loyal candidates in the state, was reportedly unhappy with the decision and did not attend the press conference where Sharma’s name was announced.

Sharma, who has a master’s degree in political science from the University of Rajasthan, started his political career with the Samajik Nyay Manch, a regional party founded by Lokendra Singh Kalvi and Devi Singh Bhati. He contested the 2003 assembly election from Nadbai constituency on the party’s ticket but lost his deposit. He later joined the BJP and became the party’s general secretary in Rajasthan. He has served in this position four times.

Sharma is known for his grassroots connect and organisational skills. He is also associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP. He is said to have the backing of the RSS and the central leadership of the BJP, who see him as a fresh face who can revive the party’s fortunes in the state.

Sharma will be sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Rajasthan on Wednesday, along with two deputy chief ministers – Diya Kumari, the princess of Jaipur and a three-time MLA from Rajsamand, and Prem Chand Bairwa, a Dalit leader and a two-time MLA from Kishangarh Bas. The BJP has claimed that the trio represents the social and regional diversity of the state and will work for the development of all sections of the society.

The BJP’s decision to pick Sharma as the CM candidate is seen as a gamble by many political observers, who wonder if he can win the trust and confidence of the people and the party cadres. The BJP is facing a tough challenge from the Congress, which is hoping to return to power under the leadership of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot. The Congress has accused the BJP of being directionless and desperate, and has questioned Sharma’s credentials and experience.