Bhajan Lal Sharma (born 15 December 1966)[2] is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current chief minister of Rajasthan since December 2023.[3][4] He is a member of the 16th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, representing the Sanganer constituency. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[5][6]

Bhajan Lal Sharma
Official portrait, 2023
14th Chief Minister of Rajasthan
Assumed office
15 December 2023 (2023-12-15)
Governor
Deputy
Ministry and Departments
  • Personnel
  • Excise
  • Home
  • Planning
  • General Administration
  • Policy Making Cell - Chief Minister's Secretariat
  • Information & Public Relations
  • Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB)
  • Agricultural Marketing
  • Agriculture Irrigated Area Development & Water Utility
  • Indira Gandhi Canal
  • Minority Affairs & Waqf
Preceded byAshok Gehlot
Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
3 December 2023
Preceded byAshok Lahoty
ConstituencySanganer
General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajasthan
In office
2016–2023
Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajasthan
In office
2014–2016
Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Atari
In office
2000–2005
Personal details
Born (1966-12-15) 15 December 1966 (age 57)[1]
Atari, Nadbai, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
SpouseGeeta Sharma
Children2
Parents
  • Kishan Swaroop Sharma (father)
  • Gomati Devi (mother)
EducationMaster of Arts in Political science
Alma materRajasthan University
Occupation
Rajasthan Assembly

Early and personal life

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Sharma was born on 15 December 1966, in Atari village near Nadbai in Bharatpur district to Kishan Swaroop Sharma, a farmer, and Gomati Devi, into a Hindu Brahmin family.[7][8] He completed his primary education in Atari and Gagwana villages and moved to Nadbai for secondary education. In 1989, Sharma completed his BA from MSJ college in Bharatpur. In 1993, he completed his MA in Political Science from the University of Rajasthan.[9][10] He also pursued a B.Ed degree.[11]

He is married to Geeta Sharma and has two sons. His elder son, Abhishek Sharma, is preparing for UPSC (CSE) and has a private business, while his younger son, Kunal Sharma, is a doctor who completed his MBBS.[12]

Political career

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Sharma began his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during his school days through its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). In 1990, he participated in the ABVP's Kashmir Bachao Andolan march to Srinagar amid the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus and was arrested in Udhampur. He was also arrested in 1992 for his involvement in the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation during the Babri Mosque demolition.[11] He later went on to become the president of the ABVP in Nadbai and the district co-convener in Bharatpur.[9]

In the early 1990s, Sharma joined the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and served as its district president thrice. He was elected as the sarpanch of his native village at the age of 27, serving two consecutive terms.[7] Additionally, he held the position of district president for the BJP in Bharatpur. Furthermore, he served as the vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajasthan, from 2014 to 2016, and later as the General Secretary from 2016 to 2023.[11][13]

Sharma unsuccessfully contested the 2003 Assembly election from the Nadbai Assembly constituency in Bharatpur on the Rajasthan Samajik Nyay Manch (RSNM)'s ticket and finished fifth, getting just over 5,900 votes and with 6.28% vote share he lost his deposit.[14][15]

Following the 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, Sharma was elected as an MLA from the Sanganer Assembly constituency and was appointed the 14th Chief Minister of Rajasthan.[16][17]

Chief Minister of Rajasthan

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On 12 December 2023, he was appointed the 14th Chief Minister of Rajasthan by the Bharatiya Janata Party, alongside two deputy CMs, Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa.[18][19] He, along with his two deputies, was sworn in as Rajasthan's new CM on 15 December 2023.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "State Portal | Govt of Rajasthan". rajasthan.gov.in. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  2. ^ "All About Bhajanlal Sharma, Rajasthan's New CM To Be". Times Now. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  3. ^ "First-time MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma to be new Chief Minister of Rajasthan". The Hindu. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Bhajan Lal Sharma takes over as Rajasthan chief minister on his birthday, BJP top brass attend oath ceremony". telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  6. ^ The Hindu (12 December 2023). "Rajasthan CM: Bhajan Lal Sharma to be Chief Minister of Rajasthan". Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b Mukherjee, Deep (12 December 2023). "Meet BJP's new Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma: Debutant MLA, party man close to RSS". indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  8. ^ Bhattacharya, Manish (12 December 2023). "राजस्थान के नए मुख्यमंत्री भजन लाल शर्मा के परिवार में कौन-कौन है? बेटे करते हैं ये काम". indiatv.in (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b Sharma, Jaykishan (13 December 2023). "From grassroots worker to Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Bhajan Lal Sharma's journey". India Today. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  10. ^ Rajpurohit, Shivnarayan (13 December 2023). "Milk vendor, sarpanch, rebel, CM: Bhajan Lal Sharma's journey to Rajasthan's top post". Newslaundry. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Mishra, Ishita (17 December 2023). "Bhajan Lal Sharma | Dedicated 'Sangh' volunteer". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  12. ^ "राजस्थान के नए मुख्यमंत्री भजन लाल शर्मा के परिवार में कौन-कौन है? बेटे करते हैं ये काम". India TV (in Hindi). 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Low-profile Bhajan Lal Sharma is known for command on organisational matters". The Hindu. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Who is Bhajan Lal Sharma, BJP's pick for Rajasthan chief minister? Check wealth, education details". Hindustan Times. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  15. ^ "What is Losing deposit in election ?". Business Standard. 13 December 2023. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Bhajan Lal Sharma to be Chief Minister of Rajasthan". The Hindu. 12 December 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  17. ^ Kumar, Devesh (12 December 2023). "Rajasthan news: Vasundhara Raje suggested Bhajanlal Sharma's name for CM post". mint. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Bhajan Lal Sharma is next Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje proposes name". India Today. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Bhajanlal Sharma To Be Rajasthan CM: 1st-time MLA, Upper Caste Leader, All About BJP's Surprise Pick". News 18. 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  20. ^ "सूचना एवं जनसम्पर्क विभाग, राजस्थान सरकार।". dipr.rajasthan.gov.in. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.