BJP made me CM for 18 years, where’s the injustice, asks Chouhan
The Hindu
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he'd "rather prefer to die" than ask for something for himself. He expressed satisfaction at his 18-year tenure, highlighted various welfare- and women-centric schemes, and thanked PM Modi and the BJP's central leadership.
A day, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) replaced him as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on December 12, said that he would “rather prefer to die” than ask something for himself.
Addressing a press conference at the official CM’s residence a day before CM-designate Mohan Yadav’s swearing-in ceremony, Mr. Chouhan said the new government under Mr. Yadav’s leadership will work for the development of the State. “And, I will always keep supporting him,” he said.
On December 11, the BJP elected Mr. Yadav as the leader of its legislature party to be the next CM of Madhya Pradesh. The party’s government will also have two deputy CMs — Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda. Former Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will be the Assembly Speaker.
Mr. Chouhan, referring to one of his statements following the election victory regarding him not going to Delhi, said, “You must remember the context of [what I said] the other day. You had asked me that they (other contenders of the CM post) are in Delhi, will you also go?”
“I say this with extreme humility. I would rather prefer to die than go and ask something for myself. This is not my job,” said the outgoing CM, who has helmed the State government since 2005, barring a 15-month period from December 2018 to March 2020 when the Congress was in power in the State.
Mr. Chouhan, however, denied reports that he was upset over not being made the CM again.
“This is a very lousy mindset that where will I go? A man crying all the time saying that injustice has been done to him cannot do anything. Where is injustice? I am making this clear today. The BJP made a normal worker [referring to himself] CM for 18 years, now it’s my time to give back to the party. Why can’t this be the mindset?” he said, responding to a question about his future plans.
The All-India level NEET examination was started a few years ago to counter complaints of corruption during the joint entrance examinations held at the State level. AIDSO had warned the authorities that the solution to the menace of corruption was not changing the examination system, but to investigate the corruption and punish the guilty.