BJP's discussions on CMS enter last phase

The deliberations in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to pick chief ministers for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan appeared to enter the last leg as its central observers looked set to reach the two states on Monday to oversee the selection of leaders of legislative parties, people aware of the matter said on Sunday.

- 

There is little clarity on the names of the two new chief ministers although there have been hectic behind-the-scenes parleys within the BJP all through last week. On Friday, the BJP appointed Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, national secretary Asha Lakra and Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman as observers for Madhya Pradesh. Union minister Rajnath Singh, party general secretary Vinod Tawde and Rajya Sabha MP Saroj Pande were picked to oversee process in Rajasthan.

The BJP's newly elected Madhya Pradesh MLAs will meet in Bhopal on Monday to elect the leader of the legislative party, people aware of the matter said. The BJP retained power in MP in the November 17 polls, winning 163 seats in the 230-member assembly, leaving the Congress a distant second with 66 seats.