Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a prominent BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh Chouhan, a four-time state chief minister, was sworn in as a member of the Union Cabinet on Sunday. Amidst loudest cheers, he was among the first five ministers to be sworn in after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath. The decision on the posts is yet to be made.
Born in 1959 to a Kiral farming family in Jait village, Chouhan was the longest serving Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.Mom‘ and ‘BuyerHe was hailed by people as a great man. He rose to leadership from the RSS and student politics in the 1970s and 1980s.
He took part in the underground anti-Emergency movement in the late 1970s and was briefly imprisoned.
Chouhan’s political standing appeared to have tumbled when he chose not to remain chief minister and Mohan Yadav became chief minister after the BJP’s landslide victory in last year’s state assembly elections. But a few months later, Chouhan made a spectacular comeback by contesting from Vidisha constituency, which he represented from 1991 to 2004, and winning by a margin of more than 800,000 votes.
Given his overwhelming popularity, it is not surprising that Chouhan attributed his landslide victory to the people, calling it a “victory of your love.” His welfare schemes, especially Laadri Lakshmi Yojanahas contributed immensely to the BJP’s victory in Madhya Pradesh in 2008, 2013 and 2023 and has earned the admiration of people, especially women.
Chouhan’s entry into power politics was in 1990 when he was first elected to the state assembly from Budni constituency. The following year, he was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in his career from Vidisha constituency.
In 2005, the BJP elected Chouhan, who was its state leader, to head the Madhya Pradesh government for the first time, and he again became a member of the state assembly from Budhni.
As the state BJP leader, Chouhan was elected Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on November 30, 2005. He served as Chief Minister from 2005 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2023, making him the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister.
In December 2023, after nearly 17 years and four terms as chief minister, he stepped down to allow Mohan Yadav to succeed him after leading the BJP to a stunning victory. He contested the Lok Sabha elections from Vidisha. He defeated Congress leader Pratabhanu Sharma by a margin of over 800,000 votes.
During his tenure as Chief Minister, he implemented welfare policies like Ladri Lakshmi, Kaniyadaan Yojana, Sambhar Yojana, Ladri Beena Yojana and Gaon Ki Beti which helped him in creating a populist image among the people of Madhya Pradesh.
Chouhan has held various posts within the saffron party, including Bharatiya Janata Party national president, Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary and Bharatiya Janata Party Madhya Pradesh unit chief.
Chouhan holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Barkatura Vishwavidyalaya University and is also a gold medallist.
