Would rather perish than seek personal gain: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh's outgoing chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said that he would rather die than ask something for himself from the party. Addressing a press conference in Bhopal on Tuesday, he reiterated that he will do whatever task the party gives him just as he has been doing as a party man. This is something Chouhan has been saying in the past as well. As though he anticipated the upcoming developments after winning the polls, he released a video message where he maintained that he was not in the CM's race. He kept on meeting beneficiaries, attending programmes of party workers, and talked about offering PM Modi another gift by winning all the 29 Lok Sabha seats of the state. Insiders say that this was the last push on his personal behalf by the 64 years old four-time chief minister, popularly known as 'Mama' in the state.

Chouhan turned emotional during his meeting with beneficiaries of Ladli Behna schemes before the press conference. While the women hugged him and cried, he assured them that he would always work for their betterment and would not leave them at any cost.

During his tenure, he launched several schemes for women and girl children and earned the name 'Mama'. His schemes were later replicated by several other state governments.


Chouhan expressed satisfaction over his tenure as chief minister and said that from a BIMARU state, MP is now on the path of development with the help of central and state government schemes. He promised to offer full support to the new government under Mohan Yadav.

State leaders say that Chouhan has always made a comeback. In 2018, when BJP lost power to Congress, several people anticipated the end of Chouhan. During one of his public speeches, Chouhan said 'Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai' (The tiger is still alive). In 2020, after the fall of the Congress government, Chouhan made a comeback and became the chief minister of the state. There is no clarity over the new assignment for him at present. Notwithstanding, his supporters as well as those opposed to him within the party are anxiously waiting as to whether and how soon he makes a comeback and in what role.