How Shivraj Chouhan Reacted To BJP Picking Mohan Yadav As Replacement

Outgoing Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan congratulated his successor "hardworking friend" Mohan Yadav who was named by the BJP today, ending days of suspense after the party swept the Hindi heartland state.

In a Hindi post on X, Mr Chouhan - whose welfare schemes helped his party tap the women votes - expressed confidence in Mr Yadav to "create new records in the field of public welfare" under the "guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

Mohan Yadav, who was a cabinet minister in the Madhya Pradesh Government headed by Mr Chouhan, was picked for the top job at a key meeting in Bhopal.

"I am a small worker of the party. I thank all of you, the state leadership and the central leadership. With your love and support, I will try to fulfil my responsibilities," the Ujjain South MLA said.

Mr Yadav will have two deputies - Jagdisgh Devda and Rajesh Shukla.

The BJP - which had been battling close to 20 years of incumbency in the state - won a resounding mandate bagging 163 seats while the Congress finished a distant second at 66 seats.

Mr Chouhan's 'Ladli Behna' scheme was considered a coup de maitre that tilted voters in the BJP's favour.

The BJP on Thursday announced three central observers - Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, K Laxman, National President, OBC Morcha and Aasha Lakda, National Secretary for the state - to pick the next Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.

The party made central observers last time in the state in 2005 when former Chief Minister Babu Lal Gaur left the post. After that, Shivraj Singh Chouhan took the oath for the first time as Chief Minister of the state in November 2005.

Since then, no central observers have been appointed in the state. During the state assembly polls in 2008 and 2013, BJP remained in power and Mr Chouhan continued to be the Chief Minister.

During the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress returned to power with veteran leader Kamal Nath taking the oath as the chief minister but a political upheaval rocked the state in 2020 after then Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with 22 loyalist MLAs, switched over to the BJP camp.

The Congress government fell after being reduced to a minority and the BJP formed the government, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as chief minister.

But this time around, the party announced central observers for the state, sparking buzz that the BJP may bring a new Chief Minister face in the state.