In the wake of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra predicting
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s exit from the top post
following the year-end assembly polls, the latter asked people at a rally
whether he should become Chief Minister again or not.
Addressing a gathering in Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori, Shivraj Chouhan
asked people, “I want to ask you whether I am running a good government or a
bad government. So, should this government move ahead or not? Should Mama (as
he is popularly called) become Chief Minister or not?”
He also asked them if Narendra Modi should continue to be the
country’s Prime Minister and whether the BJP should retain power (in the State
and Centre).
The public who attended the rally replied to both the questions in
the affirmative.
Reportedly, political circles in Madhya Pradesh are abuzz with
speculation about Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s return ahead of the assembly polls.
For the upcoming elections, the BJP has fielded several stalwarts
as its candidates, who may be considered as contenders for the Chief Minister’s
post, if the party retains power.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while addressing a rally in Dhar district of
the State on Thursday, claimed Shivraj Singh Chouhan will not become the Chief
Minister again.
“PM Modi ji comes here… Nowadays he is shying away from
mentioning the name of Shivraj ji… just taking his own name and asking
(people) to vote for me (Narendra Modi). Now he (Shivraj Chouhan) is not going
to become your CM,” Gandhi Vadra claimed.
Shivraj Chouhan, the State’s longest serving Chief Minister, is
seen getting emotional during public events and rallies recently. In a public
event held in his home-turf Budhni held recently, Shivraj Chouhan asked people
if he should contest elections or not.
At a rally in Budhni, the Chief Minister had told women that they
would miss a “brother like me” when he is not around.
At an event held in Ujjain on Friday, he said the path of politics
was slippery and there was fear of slipping at every step, and sought the
blessings of spiritual leaders attending the event to ensure he continues to “walk
on the path of virtue”.
Earlier, in Khargone, Shivraj Chouhan had said he had no greed for
any post and that he would be happy even if his bones and flesh come of use and
do good to people.
Asked about the recent statements seeking public permission about
his candidature during the upcoming polls, Chouhan told reporters in Bhopal, “This
means we consider (each other) brother and sisters. Mama’s family, which is the
people of the State, understands this. If we have to contest (elections), then
we will do this only after asking people.”
“This is a family relation and it takes a lot of insight to
understand it,” he said.
Elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly are likely to
be held at the end of the year.
The BJP has announced the names of 79 candidates, who include Union
Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Prahlad Patel and Faggan Singh Kulaste, as well
as party’s senior leader and Indore strongman Kailash Vijayvargiya, all
political heavyweights being seen as contenders for the Chief Minister’s post.
Earlier this week, Vijayvargiya said he was contesting the upcoming
State elections not only to become an MLA, and added that the party would give
him some important responsibility.
During a press conference in August, when asked if Chouhan would be
Chief Ministerial face of the party, Union Home Minister and BJP’s key
strategist Amit Shah had counter-questioned the media asking why it was doing
the “party’s work (choosing persons for posts)”.
PTI
