Now, BJP rules 77% area and 68% population in India: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that BJP used to be called a cow belt party, but now there were BJP governments in seven non-Hindi speaking states.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said the BJP’s victory in Tripura assembly election and performance in Nagaland and Meghalaya polls were phenomenal, and as a result the party “now rules 77% area and 68% population in the country”.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressing a press conference in connection with "One Nation One Election" in Bhopal, on Sunday, March 4, 2018. (Mujeeb Faruqui/Hindustan Times)

The CM told journalists at his residence, “Earlier we used to only dream about forming a government in the north-east... BJP used to be called a cow belt party, but there are BJP governments in seven non-Hindi speaking states.”

Asked about BJP’s defeats in the recent Kolaras and Mungaoli assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh, he replied the party did well given the challenges. “Since the Congress had won both seats in 2013 with a margin of more than 20,000 votes and the BSP did not contest and its votes were also with the Congress, the BJP had a tough task.”

He asserted the BJP would win the 2018 MP assembly elections and retain power.