Satish Poonia, 55, is the MLA from Amber constituency of Jaipur district (File)

Satish Poonia has been appointed as the new president of the Rajasthan BJP, the party announced on Saturday. The leader, who is also the party's spokesperson in the state, is considered close to its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Mr Poonia, 55, is the MLA from Amber constituency of Jaipur district.

Mr Poonia is also an influential leader of the Jat community, which forms one of the biggest vote banks in the state.

The post of the Rajasthan unit chief had got vacant after the death of Rajya Sabha MP Madan Lal Saini.

Mr Saini was chosen as the state chief before the 2018 assembly election as a compromise candidate. Party veteran Vasundhara Raje was opposed to making Gajendra Singh Shekhawat-- party high command's first choice-- the Rajasthan BJP chief.

After Mr Saini's death and Mr Shekhawat joining the Union cabinet, there was a tussle in the party for the post.

The BJP lost the assembly election last year but made a grand comeback in the national election, winning 24 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The party also appointed Sanjay Jaiswal as the Bihar unit president. Mr Jaiswal, an MP, replaces Nityanand Rai.

With inputs from PTI