Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked people during an event in the State whether he should become the Chief Minister again or not and whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (the BJP) be voted to power.
He asked the questions while addressing a gathering at Dindori, more than 450 km from Bhopal, on October 6.
Targeting Mr. Chouhan over it, the Opposition Congress on October 7 claimed that he has started asking such questions to people to put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the latter has stopped mentioning the Chief Minister's name in his speeches and "dropped him from the race for the CM post".
BJP’s list for Madhya Pradesh shows ‘lack of confidence’ in CM Chouhan, says Congress
Political circles in Madhya Pradesh are abuzz with speculation about the Bharatiya Janata Party's top leadership sidelining Mr. Chouhan ahead of the Assembly polls. For the upcoming elections, the party has fielded several stalwarts as its candidates, who are being considered as contenders for the Chief Minister's post, if the party retains power.
Addressing the gathering, CM Chouhan said, "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).
When people answered him in the affirmative, he said, "So brothers and sisters, let's make a resolution that we will support those who cooperate with us." Mr. Chouhan was speaking a day after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra targeted him saying that he will not get the top post in the State again following the year-end Assembly polls.
Reacting to Mr. Chouhan's remarks, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Saturday said this showed that the State BJP's frustration was at its peak.
"First, PM Modi stopped mentioning the name of Chouhan and dropped him from the race for Chief Minister's post. In response to this and to put pressure on the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister started asking people whether he should contest the elections or not and now he is directly asking whether Modi ji should be the Prime Minister or not," Mr. Nath said on social media platform 'X'.
He said that in the battle between the PM and the CM, a war within the BJP was certain. "Those who got the ticket are not ready to fight and those who are out of the race for the ticket are fighting with everyone," he said. While addressing a rally in Dhar district of the State on Thursday, Priyanka Gandhi said Mr. Chouhan would 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 [PM Modi]. Now he [Mr. Chouhan] is not going to become your CM," she said.
Mr. Chouhan, the longest serving Chief Minister of the State, is seen getting emotional during public events and rallies of late. In a public event held in his home-turf Budhni recently, Mr. Chouhan asked people if he should contest elections or not.
At a rally in Budhni, the CM 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, Mr. 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, Mr. Chouhan on Friday 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 due and the dates are likely to be announced soon.
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 Mr. 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)".
