From Palace To Parliament: Diya Kumari Among Favourites To Lead Rajasthan

New Delhi:

The BJP looks set to form the next government in Rajasthan, having surged ahead on 112 seats in the 199-seat assembly. But the party hasn’t announced a Chief Minister pick and several names are doing the rounds. One of the candidates who could be at the helm is Princess Diya Kumari, a member of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family.

She is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Jaipur. Her appeal for votes was made as a “daughter of Jaipur” and the “princess who walks on the streets”. 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 two elections she contested. She became an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan from the Sawai Madhopur constituency in 2013. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she was elected as an MP from Rajsamand with one of the biggest victory margins of 5.51 lakh votes.

The 52-year-old has since grown in stature as a politician with her pitch for the environment, education, healthcare, and women’s empowerment. She was elected to serve as a member of the government’s National Tiger Conservation in 2019.

Contesting again from Jaipur’s Vidhyanagar East this time, the Princess is seen as an option to be the next chief minister of the state, along with senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje.

Ms Kumari exuded confidence today saying that it was quite obvious the public would vote out the “corrupt” Congress government and support BJP.

“The public knows the BJP works for the people. They want a government that will ensure women’s security, give jobs to young people, and treat farmers well,” Ms Kumari told NDTV amid victory chants by her supporters.

On whether she would become the chief minister, Ms Kumari said, “This question makes no sense. The BJP high command decides such matters.”