From Potential BJP PM Candidate To Monitoring All PM Modi's Scheme — Shivraj Chouhan's Journey Since 2014 LS Polls

Shivraj Chouhan after serving four terms as CM of Madhya Pradesh stepped down in 2023. In 2024, he made a return to national politics, winning and securing a key role in the Modi 3.0 government.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during BJP's 'Parivartan rally' amid rains, in Bokaro, Jharkhand

Source : PTI

Lal Krishna Advani, BJP's original firebrand leader, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2014 had pitted 'humble' Shivraj Singh Chouhan against Narendra Modi to be a likely Prime Ministerial candidate for the saffron party. The RSS' stamp of approval took Narendra Modi ahead as BJP's face for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but at a point in time, Shivraj Chouhan's contention was strong.

Since then, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has continued to play a prominent role in Indian politics. He served multiple terms as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, became a Lok Sabha MP, and secured a cabinet position in the Modi 3.0 government.

Currently, Chouhan has been tasked with overseeing the implementation of various schemes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to a Hindustan Times report, the Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Chouhan leads a monitoring group that meets monthly at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to assess and expedite the progress of government initiatives.

Madhya Pradesh's Chief Minister Then &...

Shivraj Singh Chouhan first assumed office as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in 2005 under unique circumstances. The sitting Chief Minister, Babulal Gaur, was asked to step down by the central BJP leadership, and in the last week of November 2005, Chouhan was appointed by the BJP Parliamentary Board to take over the role. 

Chouhan went on to secure two more terms, winning the 13th (2008) and 14th (2013) assembly elections, which allowed him to remain Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for three consecutive terms. During his tenure, he earned the nickname 'Mama ji,' reflecting his connection with the people of Madhya Pradesh.

However, in the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Chouhan and the BJP faced a narrow defeat.  The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 114 seats, while the BJP secured 109 seats, just short of the 116 needed for a majority. Congress formed a coalition government with the support of 1 Samajwadi Party MLA, 2 Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs, and 4 Independents. Consequently, Chouhan resigned as Chief Minister in December 2018, and Kamal Nath of Congress took office, marking the party’s return to power in Madhya Pradesh after 15 years.

However, political shifts soon followed. In March 2020, after the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs, Kamal Nath also resigned, leading to the collapse of the Congress-led government. Shivraj Chouhan returned as Chief Minister in March 2020, marking his fourth term in office.

After winning the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections with a landslide victory, Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigned from his post as Chief Minister, paving the way for Mohan Yadav to assume the role as the state's new chief minister.

Chouhan's decision marked the end of an era, as he stepped down after 16.5 years and four consecutive terms in office. His tenure not only made him Madhya Pradesh’s longest-serving chief minister but also the BJP's longest-serving CM, surpassing the records of Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh and Narendra Modi in Gujarat.

Return To Lok Sabha And National Stage  

After serving four terms as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s decision not to assume the top position again following the BJP’s victory in the November 2023 assembly elections created some uncertainty, leaving both the party's strategy and his political future in question. However, Chouhan quickly moved to the national stage, contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Vidisha, where he won by an impressive margin of 8.2 lakh votes.

Following his victory, Chouhan resigned from his traditional Budhni assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh. For the first time in his long political career, he was appointed to the Union Cabinet. On June 9, 2024, Chouhan took the oath as a Cabinet minister in the new BJP-led NDA government. The following day, he was entrusted with the key portfolios of agriculture and rural development.

Now, according to a report by Hindustan Times, Prime Minister Modi has asked Shivraj Singh Chouhan with the responsibility of monitoring the progress of various projects announced since the first NDA government took office in 2014. Senior officials, including additional secretaries and joint secretaries serving as nodal officers for these schemes, have been directed to attend the monitoring group meetings led by Chouhan.