By The Time Rajtilak Takes Place, One Ends Up In Vanvas: Former MP CM Shivraj Chouhan

Addressing people in Shahganj town of his Budhni assembly seat, the former CM said he would not go anywhere and "will live here and die here."

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said that sometimes one ends up in "vanvas" while waiting for "rajtilak" (coronation). Addressing a gathering in Shahganj town of his Budhni assembly seat on Tuesday evening, Chouhan got emotional and said he would continue to be among the people, especially his sisters, reported PTI.

"I will not go anywhere. I will live here and die here," the former CM said when a few women shouted, "bhaiyya (brother), don't go anywhere leaving us alone."

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) retained Madhya Pradesh during last November's assembly polls with a landslide victory and the party chose Mohan Yadav as the chief minister, replacing Chouhan who served as the state's CM for four times.

Chouhan assured the people that all the works started by the previous BJP government, including the Ladli Behna Yojana (for women's welfare), housing scheme for beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme, a scheme of one job in each family and promises made to farmers, will be fulfilled by the present government. He said that there must be some objective behind the decision of the party. 

"The new government will take forward all these works. There must be some big objective somewhere, sometimes by the time 'rajtilak' takes place, one even ends up in 'vanvas' (exile). But all this happens to fulfil some or the other objective," Chouhan told them, quoted PTI.

The former CM has received a warm welcome from the party workers and women in Shahganj. Chouhan won the polls from Budhni assembly seat by a margin of more than 1.04 lakh votes over his Congress rival Vikram Mastal.

In the November 2023 state elections, the BJP won 163 of the 230 assembly seats, while the opposition Congress was distant second with victory in 66 assembly segments.