Why Has Shivraj Chouhan Not Set Foot in 2 Constituencies in 13 Years?

Buckling under superstition, the “modern and progressive” Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has never visited two constituencies – Ashok Nagar and Ichhawar – in the state during the past 13 years.

The CM, who took his Jan Ashirwad Yatra to 187 constituencies, skipped these two places. The yatra was scheduled to go to Ichhawar on August 12 and Ashok Nagar on October 2. However, Chouhan has been either refusing to visit these places or has been giving a miss to any events held there. 

On August 24, 2017, he had given a wide berth to the inauguration of the new collectorate building in Ashok Nagar, even though he had accepted the invitation for the event. Chouhan also chose not to visit Mungaoli, the constituency in Ashok Nagar district during the bypolls in February this year. Why?

Chouhan’s refusal to visit these constituencies is apparently due to a superstition that chief ministers who go to these places, end up losing power.

The superstition is based on mere coincidences that some CMs have lost in the past. For instance, then Congress Chief Minister Digvijay Singh had visited Ichhawar in 2003, and while addressing the public during the event, he even said that he had come to break the jinx. However, Congress faced a humiliating defeat in 2003 Assembly elections, and he lost his CM post. But, this was due to anti-incumbency factors working agiants the party across the state. Some more CMs, too, have lost earlier for these two seats but Chouhan giving a virtual stamp of approval to superstition has been confirmed by his party leaders.

BJP district head of Ichhawar, Kailash Suraina, said, “The superstition kept him [Chouhan] away from this place. He was scheduled to visit Ichhawar on August 12 as part of his Jan Ashirwad Yatra, but he didn't come."

Ichhawar, 57 km away from the state capital, falls under Sehore district. It is adjacent to chief minister’s constituency, Budhni. Chouhan stand exposed as he has portrayed himself as a politician with modern thoughts, but appears scared by the superstition, which explains his refusal to go to Ichhawar. Interestingly, except for 2013, the BJP has always won Ichhawar seat in the last 28 years.

Hitting out at the CM for encouraging superstition, sitting Congress MLA from Ichhawar, Shailendra Patel, alleged, “Chief minister promotes superstition, so he has never visited Ichhawar, even he is the head of the state."  He said he  had raised this issue in the Assembly last year, and have sought reply from the CM. Why has he been not been visiting Ichhawar? Is he promoting the superstition or is he not the CM for the Ichhawar residents?”

The CM seems to have fallen prey to another superstition as well, which says that if any CM spends a night in Ujjain, he/she dies.  Is is a coincidence that Chouhan has never spent a night in the city – even during Simhastha 2016, when he himself was overseeing the arrangements for the mega event.

Constituency Ashok Nagar, 210 km off the state capital, has been won by a BJP candidate. Former Union Minister and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia is the member of the parliament from this constituency. But, owing to the superstition, Chouhan never visited Ashok Nagar, just like Ichhawar. Scindia poked fun at Chouhan in several rallies, saying "Aap Ashok Nagar kyun nahi aate, aap hi ka chetr hai, ghabraiye nahi ki kursi nahi jaye ge.  (Why don't you visit Ashok Nagar, this place belongs to you. Don’t fear, you won't lose your chair.)"

Noida too was the target of such a superstition, just like Ashok Nagar and Ichhawar. Yet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath have never hedged themselves from visiting Noida.

Chouhan never took that risk.