Shivraj Chouhan takes a leaf out of Modi’s book, to begin monthly radio address

With disgruntled farmers breathing down his neck, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is banking on a monthly radio programme to improve his stock.

Facing an anti-incumbency factor and rough weather due to resentment among farmers in particular chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hopes to tide over the crisis by replicating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann ki baat with his own a radio programme - ‘Dil se’.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hopes his monthly radio address will improve his fortunes that have been on the downswing recently. (HT PHOTO)

The first episode of the monthly programme will be broadcast by every centre of All India Radio (AIR) in Madhya Pradesh at 6 pm on August 13, according to the state government’s official spokesperson.

“CM will express his views on various issues concerning people and spell out his priorities. He will also share with people the state government’s policies, programmes, schemes and future action plan. He will connect with youth, women, farmers, labourers, traders and other sections of society through this programme,” said an official communiqué.

Though it has not been disclosed officially, sources say Chouhan has chosen August 13 to reach out to people through the radio as the day happens to be Balram Jayanti which is celebrated by farmers in North India in particular.

The Chouhan government has been jittery since it mishandled the recent farmers’ agitation leading to death of five farmers in police firing in Mandsaur district on June 6. Since then, Chouhan has announced a slew of measures for farmers’ welfare but the government once again mishandled the procurement of onion from farmers and its sale which too saw a scam.

Earlier, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejariwal too have used the radio to send out their messages to people in their respective states.

Expectedly, the Congress ridiculed Chouhan’s upcoming radio address. State Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said, “CM has been trying to imitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi right from day 1. When Modi talked of ‘Make in India’ Chouhan talked of ‘Make in Madhya Pradesh’, when Modi talked of dropping red beacon lights Chouhan was the first to follow it. Similarly, he is now trying to follow Modi’s ‘Mann ki baat’. It is sheer a propaganda method when he is facing a crisis in the state.”

However, state BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat said, “It’s a wise decision on the CM’s part to use radio to send out his messages to people up to the grassroots level. Radio happens to be an effective method and any government should use all the technology to deliver good governance to people.”