Should I become chief minister again or not: CM Shivraj Chouhan asks people
With other leaders of the party hinting at becoming the CM candidate, political circles in Madhya Pradesh are abuzz with speculation about the BJP’s top leadership sidelining Chouhan ahead of the assembly polls
As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to announce its candidate for the chief minister’s post in the run-up to assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, which are due at this year-end, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday asked the people whether he should be the next chief minister of the state.

Addressing a programme in Dindori, Chouhan said, “I want to ask you whether I am running a good government or a bad government. So, should this government move ahead or not? Should Mama (as he is popularly called) become chief minister or not?”
He also asked if Narendra Modi should remain the Prime Minister or not, and whether should BJP government come back again or not.
The attendees replied to both questions with screams of ‘yes’.
Chouhan, who is the longest-serving chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, is seen getting emotional at the programmes and public gatherings.
Two days ago, the CM in Budhni said he was trying to establish a relationship with voters. “I am a very lucky brother,” he said. He further promised to increase the amount given to the women under ‘CM Ladli Behena Scheme’ from Rs.1000 to Rs.3000.
On Friday while inaugurating the second phase of the ‘Shri Mahakal Mahalok’ temple corridor in Ujjain Chouhan said the path of politics was slippery and there was fear of slipping at every step.
He further said that he has sought the blessings of spiritual leaders. “You (spiritual leaders) must keep guiding us in the right direction because the path of politics is very slippery. Sometimes we slip ourselves and at times other people do. May your blessings remain (for us) to walk on the path of virtue,” he said.
Earlier, in Khargone, Chouhan had said he had no greed for any post
With other leaders of the party hinting at becoming the CM candidate, political circles in Madhya Pradesh are abuzz with speculation about the BJP’s top leadership sidelining Chouhan ahead of the assembly polls.
The BJP has fielded several stalwarts as its candidates, who are being considered as contenders for the chief minister’s post if the party retains power.
In the three lists of 79 candidates declared by the BJP for the upcoming polls, the party has not named Chouhan. Incidentally, the 78 names include those of Union ministers, legislators, political heavyweights and contenders for the chief minister’s post in MP.
Congress MLA from Dindori Omkar Makram termed Chouhan’s address as a farewell speech. “During the program, CM Shivraj Singh is seen appealing to the people to clap as people were not interested in listening to his speech. This was his farewell programme,” Makram said.
ABOUT THE AUTHORShruti TomarI have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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