Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has claimed that his party BJP is working unitedly for the forthcoming assembly elections, and there is no internal wrangling.
Asked about Rajat Sharma in the show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ that there are three groupings in the party, ‘naaraz’ (unhappy), maharaj (Jyotiraditya Scindia) and Shivraj, the chief minister replied: “The problem with Congress is that they lose their sleep when our party works unitedly. We appear in their nightmares. Like a red rag shown to a raging bull, Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh wake up from their nightmares shouting ‘Shivraj, Shivraj’.”
Rajat Sharma: Is it not true that the BJP in MP is divided with Narendra Singh Tomar, who is a minister at the Centre, expressing disinterest in working for the party in the state?
Chouhan: “No. No. this is not true. BJP is fully united. Those who came with Scindia Ji have mixed with our party like sugar in milk. I feel happy in saying that BJP is working unitedly in MP. Of course, leaders work differently according to their preferences. Even two brothers in a family have different styles of work.”
Rajat Sharma: But Scindia Ji must be nursing ambition to become the CM some day?
Chouhan: Why not? It is not wrong to nurse ambition.
Rajat Sharma: But you are not allowing him to make CM?
Chouhan: “The party will make the CM. The people will make the CM”.
The MP chief minister narrated how he was suddenly made the CM of his state in 2005 when he was staying as an MP in Delhi. He had no inkling about it and it was former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda who was the first to congratulate him on become the CM.
Chouhan said, “I became the chief minister because the party wanted me and I had the blessings of the people. In 2005, when I first became CM, I did not know that I had been selected. BJP parliamentary board was meeting and I was staying on Pandit Pant Marg in Delhi as MP. Suddenly, my wife woke me up and told me that TV channels were breaking news about myself being selected as CM. I told her not to daydream and go to sleep. Soon afterwards, the door bell rang, and Bhupendra Singh Hooda was standing outside to congratulate me. He was my neighbour. Soon after, call came from our party organizing secretary asking me to come to the office immediately, where I was told that I have been given the responsibility of chief minister. …Whenever our party gives us responsibility, who try to fulfill it. The party and people gave me blessings and because of this I became the CM. Till the time my party and people give me blessings I will stay as CM. I do not bother what Rahul or Priyanka say.”
Rajat Sharma: “Is it true that when Kamal Nath’s government fell, the party leadership wanted you to come to the Centre and become a minister in Modi government and somebody else should be made CM?”
Chouhan: “No, I was never told this thing. It was the party which directed me to become the CM again. I took oath only on the orders of the party and with the blessings of our PM.”
Rajat Sharma: But the Prime Minister had replaced the entire batch of ministers including the CM in Gujarat. The chief minister in Karnataka was changed. Why is it that there is so much affection for Shivraj Chouhan who was again made the CM?
Chouhan: “Let me tell you. Modi Ji is a unique and unparalleled leader. He never loves an individual. Nobody should have this misunderstanding that he would ask somebody to continue because of personal love and affection. Narendra Modi ji has love only for the nation, its 140 crore people, and he has devoted his entire life to serve the people, 24hours x 365 days. I have never seen a hardworking leader in the world like him who toils day and night. It cannot be that you do not toil and he would love you….He formulates plans and schemes and we try our best to implement them. Today my state MP is No. 1 in Swachhata (cleanliness) scheme. We are also No. 1 in Smart City scheme. In Save Water, Conserve Water too, we are no.1. ”
Chouhan said, “I say this in Aap Ki Adalat that a day will come when PM Narendra Modi and all of us Indians will watch India becoming ‘Vishwa Guru’ (world leader) before our own eyes. Nobody can stop India from becoming Vishwa Guru. Swami Vivekanand Ji predicted this 100 years ago saying the end of darkness is near. Those who are blind and deaf cannot watch and hear this, but I clearly see Bharat Mata standing up to become Vishwa Guru. It was predicted by one Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) and is now being achieved by another Narendra (Modi).”