BHOPAL: Almost three years after Prime Minister Modi launched the Fit India Movement, a ruling BJP MP in Madhya Pradesh is on a mission to shed excess flab, not just to become fit, but also fund the development of his Lok Sabha constituency.
Anil Firojiya, 50, the first-time MP from Ujjain Lok Sabha seat, weighed around 127 kg, when Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, threw a gauntlet at him in February: shed weight and get more money from his ministry for development works in Ujjain parliamentary constituency. Since then Firojiya claims to have shed 15 kg and is now aiming to cut the flab to under 100 kg.
“It was an event in my constituency, where Gadkari laid the foundation for projects worth around Rs 6,000 crore in February. The minister showed me his old picture to tell us that even he was once obese,” says Firojiya.
“While motivating me to be fit, he announced that each kg cut by me will enable my parliamentary seat to get `1,000 crore from his ministry,” recalls Firojia. The constituency covers seven Assembly segments of Ujjain district and one assembly segment of Ratlam district.
With the help of Ayurveda experts from Nagpur (Gadkari’s Lok Sabha constituency) who gave him a detailed diet plan and strict 2-3 hours daily regime of physical workout, cycling and swimming, Firojiya claims to have lost 15 kg.
“Every week, I get Panchkarma therapy from Ayurvedic experts. I am religious about my physical workout, including cycling and swimming. On Monday, my weight was around 112 kg. I want itto come down to under 100 kg,” he said.
It remains to be seen if Gadkari will fulfill his promise of giving Ujjain Rs 15,000 crore. “In the monsoon session of Parliament, I’ll meet him and share with him details of my weight loss. I’m sure he’ll keep his promise,” Firojiya hoped.