Chouhan looking for role in State politics

Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is desperately looking for a role in Madhya Pradesh politics which is nowhere in sight. He has been on the forefront taking up local issues, but he does not hold a post in the State unit of the BJP, making him a bit of self-centered leader.

In any political party, there are two important posts- Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and president of the State unit of the party. Chouhan is holding none.

Having served as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for 13 years, Shivraj Singh Chouhan now holds none of these important posts. The Central leadership of the BJP wants Chouhan to move to national politics and recently appointed him in-charge of party’s membership drive at national level.

However, having pledged not to leave Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan is conducting this drive only by being in the State capital. Recently, he had reviewed the membership drive through video-conferencing by sitting in the State BJP headquarters.

Soon after BJP had lost the State assembly elections, Chouhan had categorically told media persons that he was not willing to contest Lok Sabha election and not interested in joining national politics. He had also chalked out a plan to take out ‘Thanks giving’ yatra in the State, but the central leadership did not allow him.

Later, Chouhan has alreays been in search of issues on which the Kamal Nath government could be cornered. In recent past, he has been seen raking up the issues and surprisingly, both important leaders of the party- State BJP president Rakesh Singh and Leader of the Opposition in the State assembly Gopal Bhargava were seen nowhere.

At the last venue of his agitation, Chouhan staged a dharna at Bharat Mata Square demanding CBI probe in the custodial death of Shivam Mishra at Bairagarh police station. Ironically, Chouhan’s wife Sadhna Singh and his son Kartikey Singh Chouhan accompanied former chief minister at the dharna site.