Who is Diya Kumari, Rajasthan’s new Deputy CM?
Diya Kumari, one of the frontrunners for the chief minister's post, and scheduled caste leader Prem Chand Bairwa will be the deputy chief ministers in Rajasthan. She defeated Sitaram Agarwal of the Congress by over 71,000 votes. Know all about her.
FollowIn yet another unexpected move by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (December 12), Diya Kumari—who was among the front-runners in the Rajasthan chief ministerial race—was declared as the state's deputy chief minister. She will share the office with another Deputy Prem Chand Bairwa. Bhajan Lal Sharma was named the party's chief minister during the legislative party meeting in Jaipur, which was attended by central observers.
Diya Kumari is a member of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, and won the elections from the Vidhyadhar Nagar Assembly seat in Jaipur. She defeated Sitaram Agarwal of the Congress by over 71,000 votes. The party had fielded her to succeed Narpat Singh Rajvi, a three-term incumbent MLA.
Kumari, 52, was also an MP from the Rajsamand Lok Sabha seat before she resigned after being elected as an MLA in the recently-concluded Assembly elections in Rajasthan. She is the granddaughter of Maharani Gayatri Devi.
The blend of regal heritage and a 'relatable, down-to-earth persona' has made her a popular figure among the people of Rajasthan.
Since joining the BJP in 2013, Diya Kumari has won the three elections she contested. In 2013, she was elected from the Sawai Madhopur seat to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. With one of the largest winning margins of 5.51 lakh votes, she was elected as an MP from Rajsamand in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She has recently been victorious in Vidhyadhar Nagar's 2023 Assembly elections.
Also Read | Who is Bhajan Lal Sharma, Rajasthan's next Chief Minister?
During her campaign for the Assembly polls, the 52-year-old made a pitch for the environment, education, healthcare, and women's empowerment.
