Madhya Pradesh: Amid murmurs of new CM face, Chouhan keeps up 'show of power'

Even as political circles in Madhya Pradesh are abuzz with murmurs that the BJP central leadership is likely to bring in a new chief minister, outgoing CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is continuing his show of strength as he and his supporters credit his flagship scheme 'Ladli Behna Yojana' for the party's landslide win in the recent state assembly elections.

Four-time CM Chouhan, who was not projected as a chief ministerial candidate throughout the election campaign, has apparently emerged stronger with the BJP's victory.

Chouhan, who has been conferred the sobriquet of mama (maternal uncle) with his women-centric flagship schemes during his previous tenures, has enthusiastically cast himself in the role of bhaiyya (brother) with Ladli Behna, his cash scheme for women.

Though Chouhan has said he is not in the race for the CM's post following the BJP victory, political observers who have been watching his politics for the last three decades claim he has kept himself very much in the reckoning.

During the poll campaign, for instance, Chouhan himself sought support from the people by asking whether he should become chief minister again or not.

After the BJP won 163 out of the state's 230 assembly seats, Chouhan attended several events to celebrate the victory organised by his supporters, and Ladli Behna Yojana was credited for the results.

On Wednesday, Chouhan visited Chhindwara, the bastion of former chief minister and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, where the BJP lost all seven seats to the Congress. Before his visit, he had said he would be visiting Chhindwara to ensure that the BJP wins all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Political observers believe that this show of power after winning the elections indicates that Chouhan is making every effort to send a message to the BJP central leadership.

"The central leadership is known for making tough decisions, but it won't be easy to replace Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh," said a senior political analyst based in Bhopal.