Madhya Pradesh: Mohan Yadav is BJP's surprise pick as Chief Minister

New Delhi: The BJP legislative body in Madhya Pradesh unanimously elected Mohan Yadav, a low-profile OBC leader, from the state's largest Malwa-Nimar region as its leader and its chief ministerial face.

BJP also named Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda, a SC, as deputy chief ministers. While both Yadav and Devda are from Malwa-Nimar region, Shukla is from Vindh.

After appointing a ST as Chhattisgarh CM with OBC and Brahmin deputy CMs. The BJP chose an OBC as Madhya Pradesh CM with SC and Brahmin deputy CMs, achieving caste balance.


Three-time BJP MLA Yadav began his political career as a student leader and rose to become Madhya Pradesh's higher education minister.

He is the first CM from the temple town of Ujjain and became a minister for the first time in 2020 when the BJP came back to power following defection in Congress.

During his tenure as minister, he announced the decision to make 'Ramcharitmanas' an optional subject in colleges in 2021 and suggested the vice-chancellor's be called 'Kulguru' and not 'Kulpati'.

Seen as a surprise pick, Yadav's proximity to senior RSS functionaries worked in his favour, sources said. He had also worked with RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale during his ABVP days.

Many within BJP say Yadav also worked with current BJP chief JP Nadda during yuva morcha days and his good rapport with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, who was poll in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, also furthered his case.

His political career began in 1982 when he became the co-secretary of the student union of Madhav Science College. He became the president in 1984.

Later, he became the city minister of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Ujjain, and became the department head in 1986.

He was also a member of the advisory committee of the Western Railway Board, member of the working council of Vikram University, Ujjain.

For a six-year period 2004-2010, he was the chairman of the Ujjain Development Authority (with the rank of state minister). He held several posts in BJP - such as district general secretary of the BJP, and in 2004, member of the BJP's Madhya Pradesh working committee.

Soon after being elected as the BJP legislature party leader, Yadav thanked the party leadership for reposing faith in a 'small worker'.

Yadav also said he will work on the welfare and development (schemes) launched by Modiji and (outgoing) chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

While Yadav touched Chouhan's feet after his name was announced, it will be interesting to see what role BJP assigns to the outgoing CM.