Madanlal Saini appointed BJP Rajasthan president

Rajya Sabha MP Madanlal Saini has been made the BJP Rajasthan unit president. Saini is an OBC leader from Sikar and belongs to the Mali caste that Congress leader Ashok Gehlot hails from. With Gehlot presumed to be the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate, Saini’s appointment is meant to counter it.

Saini, 72, began his political career in the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. He has worked with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and is close to the RSS. His appointment ends speculations about who would replace Ashok Parnami, who was asked to step down by the party high command. Parnami was close to CM Vasundhara Raje.

BJP chief Amit Shah was keen on appointing Jodhpur MP Gajendra Shekhawat but Raje had opposed it. Saini has been chosen as a consensus candidate after several round of deliberations. Being non-controversial, he is acceptable to all sections of the party. With assembly elections in Rajasthan due this December, Saini has his task cut out.


BJP faces a strong anti-incumbency in the state. Congress won the recent Lok Sabha by-polls in Alwar and Ajmer by huge margins recently. BJP is trying to woo the OBC community in Rajasthan and earlier this year, Kirori Lal Meena was brought back into BJP and given a Rajya Sabha berth as part of this measure.