Employees Resigning from Congress Over Party’s Insult to Soldiers, Ram Mandir, and Indian Ethos, Says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

On Friday, as the first phase of the elections got underway, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan submitted his candidacy for the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat. This is the first of two elections in which he is not the chief minister, notwithstanding his supporters’ claims that the BJP’s victory in the recently ended assembly polls was secured by his “Ladli Behna Yojana.”

Even after such a victory, does he find it bothersome that he had to make way for Mohan Yadav? According to Chouhan, he is optimistic that the National Democratic Alliance will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “400 Paar” goal, and that the BJP will win the state handily once again.

The longest-serving county manager in the state was interviewed by CNN-News18 when he was promoting for the general elections. Takeaways from a conversation:

What shape do you think this election will take?

Every Indian feels pleased with the progress made by their nation. All Indians resonate with Modi ji’s “Viksit Bharat” slogan. For this reason, the prime minister is held in high regard across the nation, not only liked and respected. This is why this time around’s elections are taking place on an entirely different track. There will be “400 paar” in the Lok Sabha, and we will win all 29 seats in MP.

But don’t you think that a strong opposition is necessary for any democracy to function well? Will the opposition space vanish if you win all 29 MP?

The BJP is not in the business of strengthening the opposition. It is their own actions that have brought them to this predicament. The opposition has cut all connections to the sensibility and culture of this nation. It has come to such a point that Rahul Gandhi has fled Amethi, and Sonia Gandhi lacks the courage to challenge Raebareli. Is the Congress being compelled to flee from seats where the legacies of Indira and Sonia Gandhi are present because of the BJP’s actions? Even the “pran pratishtha” [of Ram Lalla’s idol at Ayodhya] was rejected by the Congress. I agree that there has to be a robust opposition, but the nation’s resistance, led by Congress, is to blame for the backlash from citizens.

They claim that government agencies, including the ED, CBI, and IT, are driving the opposition into a corner. They are using arrests such as those of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejrwal as evidence of a “undeclared emergency” in the nation.

How much do they know about political arrests and emergencies? When I was taken into custody during the emergency, I was only 17 years old. I sustained broken knees and elbows after being struck with batons. Even after all these years, I can still feel the anguish. Hashmat Varsi, one of our Jana Sangh leaders, died in prison in Bhopal after receiving no medical care. I was deemed a menace to the nation by the Defence of India. How is a seventeen-year-old a threat? That’s how the Constitution was torn apart by Congress. So how are they going to blame us now?

But why is the BJP accepting the leaders of the Congress into its fold if there are so many problems with the party?

The BJP is working to strengthen the country. Why should we prohibit someone from following us down that route if they so choose? The Congress party’s position on Ram Mandir caused pain to many of its leaders. They questioned the surgical strikes and disagreed with the Article 370 ruling. Former Congressmen were not able to stay in such a party due to their consciences.

If Kamal Nath decides to join the BJP, would you be happy to have him join as well?

that the party will determine. If a scenario of this kind arises, a thorough pros-and-cons study will be conducted.

So, according to your assessment, will it be Kamal Nath or “Kamal” in Chhindwara this time?

Madhya Pradesh will be covered with “Kamal” blooms.