The word “failure” does not appear in Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s lexicon too often. A farmer’s son who went on to win a gold medal in philosophy from Barkatullah University in Bhopal and then represented Vidisha five times in Parliament before taking over his current job in 2005, is on a hat-trick.
He represents Budhni constituency in Sehore district. It’s a seat he has represented and won thrice—in 1990, 2006 and 2008. He took over as chief minister from Babulal Gaur in November 2005, and was re-elected CM in December 2008. Now, it remains to be seen if he can work the magic again and retain his chief ministerial chair.
Chouhan owes his rise in the BJP to his close association with the RSS and ABVP. He started his political career as a Swayamsewak in RSS in 1972 when he was just 13 years old. He has also served as president of Madhya Pradesh BJP in 2005.
Chouhan married Sadhna Singh in 1992 and they have two sons, Kartikay and Kunal. Sadhna Singh takes a keen interest in the administration of the state and has considerable say in running the government.
Chouhan spearheaded many schemes to benefit women in the state, like Beti Bachao Yojana and Ladli Laxmi Yojana, which earned him both popularity and laurels. He has done exceptional work in the field of power generation, agricultural productivity and increasing the economic strength of the state.
However, the state continues to lag behind in many other parameters, like human development index, water crisis and corruption.