BJP appoints observers for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

New Delhi, Jan 3: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday appointed new observers for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, three states where the saffron party lost assembly elections.

Finance Ministry Arun Jaitley and Avinash Rai Khanna have been appointed as observers in Rajasthan, while Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe have been appointed as observers for Madhya Pradesh. Thawar Chand Gehlot and Anil Jain have been appointed as observers for Chhattisgarh.

The BJP lost the three states to Congress in the assembly elections. The BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for last 15-years, while it stormed Rajasthan with a two-third majority in 2013. The BJP was routed in Chhattisgarh in last assembly election in its tally came down from 49 to just 15 in the 90-member assembly. Raman Singh was BJP's longest-serving chief minister, and the only one to have completed full three terms.

"Observers for the elections of state leadership in three states were decided. Thawar Chand Gehlot and Anil Jain in Chhattisgarh, Rajnath Singh and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe in MP, Arun Jaitley and Avinash Rai Khanna in Rajasthan will go as observers," Union Minister JP Nadda said.