Chouhan or Scindia, speculation is rife in Madhya Pradesh

Vibha Sharma

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, March 11

For some weeks now speculations of a possible change of leadership have been rife in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, though a section also believe the rumours that Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan may be replaced with Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia are just that—rumours.     

In February a cabinet meeting called by Chouhan after a meeting with Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur set the rumour mills rolling faster.

Chouhan and Scindia together also participated in Rewa after the meeting.

Then on Friday Chouhan and Scindia were spotted again in Shivpuri’s Madhav National Park, releasing tigers to mark the birth anniversary of Scindia’s father late Madhavrao Scindia. A public meeting was also held in Shivpuri where Scindia spoke on ‘Ladli Bahna Yojana’, tourism promotion and other welfare schemes of the state government, according to reports.

Party leaders explain that the Gwalior-Chambal-Shivpuri region is Scindia’s region. Besides, the event was related to the minister’s late father.     

Change of guard

This apart, talks of long-awaited cabinet reshuffle before the Assembly elections have been doing the rounds for long.

Chouhan’s meeting with Bhagwat in Nagpur and Scindia’s frequent appearances in his home state further added to the buzz that he might take over as the Chief Minister.        

Though no one knows what exactly happened between Chouhan and Bhagwat in Nagpur, sources say the CM informed the RSS chief about ongoing projects, planned religious events, work in the tribal areas and the welfare of tribal people in the state.

Madhya Pradesh is due for polls later this year and the state is important from the Sangh point of view. In fact, the new excise policy related to ‘ahatas’ (areas for drinking attached to liquor outlets) and shop bars is said to be in line with that.

Senior BJP leader and former CM Uma Bharti had been asking for regularisation of liquor sale in the poll-bound state.

BJP has changed CMs in poll-bound states    

While Chouhan has not reshuffled his Cabinet since July 2020 after he took over as CM in March 2020, a fact also is that if the BJP does make a change in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the polls, it will not be the first time for the party.

It changed the entire Cabinet, including the CM, in Gujarat before the elections.

In Tripura, the party replaced Biplab Deb with Manik Saha

In 2021, BJP replaced Tirath Singh Rawat with Pushkar Singh Dhami in Uttarakhand.  

Just four months earlier, Tirath Singh had replaced Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Madhya Pradesh observers believe that chief ministership was a part of the understanding that led to the 2020 political coup engineered by Scindia against Congress’ Kamal Nath.

Also, Chouhan being given some “major poll-related responsibility” in the Centre is not an unthinkable proposition though will Scindia be positioned now when the situation may go any way appears debatable. All eyes are on Madhya Pradesh.