Madhya Pradesh: BJP retaining power, Raghavji issue, stampede make news

BHOPAL: Shivraj Singh Chouhan led BJP to a thumping win in the assembly elections in 2013, which saw several ministers from his previous regime in the news for wrong reasons and a deadly stampede near a temple during Navratri festivities.

This year will go down in the history of Madhya Pradesh for BJP's third successive win in assembly polls since 2003. Prior to 2003, no non-Congress government had ever completed a full five-year term in the state.

On December 14, Chouhan was sworn in as Chief Minister for third consecutive term.

Before the elections, a number of ministers of the previous government courted controversy on several issues.

In January, Kailash Vijaywargiya was at the centre of a controversy over his remark that women must not cross the 'Lakshman rekha' to avoid unwanted consequences. An embarrassed BJP disassociated itself from his comment, which sparked an outrage, and asked him to withdraw the remark.

In February, another minister Kunwar Vijay Shah set off a controversy saying the government will set up hostels for girls only if students and their parents give a written undertaking that they will take care of their security.

The statement drew strong criticism from political parties and the National Commission for Women.

In April, the then Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah tendered his resignation after courting a major controversy over his alleged sexist remarks. He had allegedly also made a passing reference to Sadhna Singh, wife of the Chief Minister, during a speech.

But the most embarrassing of them all was the arrest of the then Finance Minister Raghavji on charges of sodomy. The 79-year-old leader was earlier forced to resign after his male servant filed a police complaint accusing him of sexual exploitation.