Shivraj Chouhan Set to Take Oath as CM for 4th Time

Bhopal:  After high political drama and defections from the Congress in the past few days, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Shivraj Singh Chouhan is set to take oath as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for the fourth time, after reducing the Congress-led government to a minority.

The central as well as the state leadership of BJP finalised Chouhan’s name four days after Congress leader Kamal Nath stepped down from the CM’s post hours before the floor test.

The official announcement was made after BJP MLAs sealed Chouhan’s name during the meeting held on Monday evening at its Bhopal office. He is likely to take oath by 9 p.m today at Raj Bhawan, the party announced.

Before the official announcement, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Senior leader Narrottam Mishra and General Secretary Kailsh Vijavargiya’s name were in race for Chief Minister’s berth.

The 15-month long Congress government fell after 22 Congress MLAs ‘loyal’ to Jyotiraditya Scindia, including six ministers, resigned alleging unruly behaviour by Nath. A day after the resignation, all rebel MLAs joined the BJP in Delhi and returned to Bhopal.

Now, the question that remain unanswered are how and where will BJP accommodate so many Scindia supporters after formation of the government. According to the sources, a decision on cabinet formation is yet to be made.    

Chouhan, who was also the member of Parliament four times from Vidisha, has served as Chief Minister of the State for 13 years. He is a blue eyed boy of BJP’s parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His term as Chief Minister was infamous for various scams, including Vyapam, E-tender, Simhastha, Narmada Plantation scam, including Mandsaur police firing which claimed the lives of six farmers.