The BJP’s decision to appoint the three leaders as vice presidents comes on a day when the Congress appointed former Delhi CM Sheila Dixit as the state Congress chief. The BJP’s decision to appoint the three leaders as vice presidents comes on a day when the Congress appointed former Delhi CM Sheila Dixit as the state Congress chief.

The former chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the three states in which BJP suffered electoral reverses in the recently-held assembly elections, were on Thursday appointed national vice presidents of the party. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Raman Singh, and Vasundhara Raje were given the new responsibilities ahead of general elections.

The appointments were made by BJP chief Amit Shah. The move indicates the three leaders will play a crucial role in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The saffron party suffered a severe blow in the run-up to the 2019 general elections as Congress returned to power in three Hindi heartland states. The grand old party appointed Kamal Nath, Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot as CMs of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, respectively.

The BJP’s decision to appoint the three leaders as vice presidents comes on a day when the Congress appointed former Delhi CM Sheila Dixit as the state Congress chief. Eighty-year-old Dikshit will have an enormous task at hand to rejuvenate Congress’ fortunes in the national capital with just three months remaining for the Lok Sabha elections.

After losing the elections, Chouhan had said last month that he aspires for no national role and was happy to live in Madhya Pradesh and serve its people. Chouhan was chief minister of the Hindi heartland state for three terms and was popular with the masses. He lost the elections with a slender margin.

Raje, on the other hand, made an exit due to anti-incumbency against her government. Singh, meanwhile, lost the elections in a clear mandate for the Congress party. Like Chouhan, Singh had also served the people of the state for three terms.

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