For the third consecutive occasion this week, the Bharatiya Janata Party has confounded onlookers by choosing Bhajan Lal Sharma, previously situated in the fourth row of a group photo, as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Additionally, Prem Chand Bairwa has been appointed as the deputy chief minister. Notably, Princess Diya Kumari, a notable figure consistently in the media and initially regarded as the \”next Vasundhara Raje,\” has now been revealed as another designate for the position of deputy CM in the desert state.
Diya Kumari, at the age of 55, has been viewed as a potential successor to Vasundhara Raje Scindia, given their striking similarities. Both female leaders hail from royal families in Rajasthan and have ties to Rajputs, influencing outcomes in 85 assembly constituencies in the recent election. The announcement on Tuesday has put to rest any uncertainties, affirming that the speculation about Diya Kumari\’s ascent to the \’royal\’ seat in Rajasthan\’s power circles was indeed well-founded.
As the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling maharaja of Jaipur during the British Raj, Diya Kumari is a princess of Jaipur and the mother of the current maharaja, Padmanabh Singh. Despite marrying a commoner in 1997 (Narendra Singh, later divorced in 2019), she remains a prominent political figure. The BJP strategically fielded her from Vidyadhar Nagar in Jaipur, where she secured a resounding mandate with over 71,000 votes in the recent assembly election.
A graduate from London with a PhD in Philosophy and a background in Decorative Arts, Diya Kumari manages the Jaigarh Fort in Amber, two trusts, and oversees two schools and three hotels. Stepping into politics in 2013, she joined the BJP in the presence of Narendra Modi and Vasundhara Raje at a rally in Jaipur. She emerged victorious in the assembly election from Sawai Madhopur in 2013 and the Rajsamand Lok Sabha constituency in 2019.
In a symbolic move during the early stages of the BJP\’s 2023 Rajasthan campaign, Diya Kumari, associated with the BJP for barely a decade, was entrusted with the coordination role on stage during Prime Minister Narendra Modi\’s rally in Jaipur. This responsibility, typically bestowed upon senior or trusted leaders, hinted at her escalating stature within the party.
A lingering question in Jaipur\’s political circles is whether Raje will assume a mentorship role for Diya Kumari, akin to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat\’s relationship with Raje. The recent BJP legislature party meeting indicated that Raje would not impede Diya Kumari\’s political ascent. In a state where reverence for royalty persists, the BJP seems to have identified a new \’princess\’ from the next generation to lead the desert state.
