Bhopal: A new sign-board 'Mama Ka Ghar' has come up at the residence of the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal. The senior BJP leader is respectfully referred to as 'Mama' in the state due to the welfare schemes for women during his tenure as CM.
"The address has changed, but Mama's house is still Mama's house. I will remain connected to you like a brother and uncle. The doors of my house will always be open for you," Chouhan said after a nameplate with 'Mama Ka Ghar' was fixed at his residence.
The former Chief Minister first earned the title of 'Mama' through his 'Ladli Laxmi Yojana' that he introduced during his tenure as CM in 2007.
The scheme, which provides financial support to the newly born girl child, earned him the tag 'mama' and the scheme was followed in some other states too.
Chouhan has recently vacated the bungalow in Shyamla Hills in the city -- the CM House, for his successor and new Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
He lived in the CM house for over 16 years, and now, he got a new address at Arera Hills in Bhopal.
A political observer said that naming his new residence as 'Mama Ka Ghar', the 65-year-old BJP MLA from Budhni tried to send a message that even after stepping down from the state's top post, "it is clear that Chouhan rules the hearts of lakhs of people as a brother and uncle".
Meanwhile, during a visit to his hometown Budhni in Sehore district, around 55 km away from Bhopal, Chouhan on Wednesday said, "I will not go anywhere. I will live here and die here."
He said this when some women seated in the audience section shouted "Bhaiyya (brother), don't go anywhere, leaving us alone".
The former chief minister said all the work started by the previous BJP government, including the Ladli Behna Yojana (for women's welfare), a housing scheme for beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme, a scheme of one job in each family and promises made to farmers, will be fulfilled by the current government.
BJP retains power with massive majority in Madhya Pradesh
Under Shivraj Singh Chouhan's leadership, the BJP was able to retain power in the state with a massive victory in the recently concluded Assembly election.
The BJP bagged 163 of the 230 assembly seats, posting a resounding victory and retaining power in the central state. The opposition Congress was relegated to a distant second spot with victory in 66 assembly segments, while one seat was won by the Bharat Adivasi Party.
With inputs from PTI
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