Harda: Amid much speculation over the future of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hinted at the senior politician's inclusion if Chouhan wins the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from his home turf Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh. Chouhan is widely expected to win as Vidisha is considered the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) bastion.
During his rally in MP's Harda on Wednesday, PM Modi urged people to vote for the ex-CM so he wins from the Vidisha constituency, calling him a 'partner'. PM Modi mentioned that he wants to "take him (Chouhan) along" with him, hinting at a possible inclusion in the Cabinet after the latter was replaced by Mohan Yadav as the CM of Madhya Pradesh after the elections last year.
Chouhan was also present beside PM Modi during the public rally in Harda on Wednesday, welcoming the PM by presenting him with a plough. PM Modi highlighted his work with Chouhan, when he was the CM of Gujarat and Chouhan was his Madhya Pradesh counterpart. "When Shivraj ji was in the Parliament, I worked with him as a General Secretary. Now I wish to take him along with me again," he said.
Vidisha will go for polls in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7. A stronghold of the BJP, the constituency is remembered for its links with veteran leaders such as former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former External Affairs Minister late Sushma Swaraj. Shivraj Singh Chouhan won the constituency in 1991 and maintained his winning streak till 2004, clinching victory for five consecutive times.
In 2005, Chouhan became the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and resigned as the MP from Vidisha. BJP stalwart Sushma Swaraj won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections for the second time in a row with over four lakh votes. Party leader Ramakant Bhargava won the seat for the first time in 2019 with a margin of 5,03,084 votes.
“We will work towards achieving 'Viksit Bharat' under the leadership of PM Modi. It is a very balanced list of candidates, in which youth, women, and others have been given a chance to work,” Chouhan said after he was nominated from Vidisha. He will compete against Congress leader Pratap Bhanu Sharma, but many expect it to be a one-sided contest.
The senior BJP leader is respectfully referred to as 'Mama' in the state due to the welfare schemes for women during his tenure as the CM, particularly his 'Ladli Behna' scheme. In the November 2023 state elections, the BJP bagged 163 of the 230 assembly seats, posting a resounding victory and retaining power in the central state. There was widespread speculation over Chouhan's future after he was replaced by Mohan Yadav as CM, including a possible inclusion in the Union Cabinet.
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