Shivraj Singh Chouhan has served as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for four times.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday ended nearly 10-day-long suspense after it named Mohan Yadav as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Mr Yadav, the Education Minister in the outgoing government, had won from Ujjain South seat in the November Assembly election. As soon as the announcement was made, the name of Shivraj Singh Chouhan started trending massively on Google as there was speculation that he could return for a fifth term. Mr Chouhan, meanwhile, congratulated his "hard working" colleague.
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From the day the results of Madhya Pradesh election were announced, there was buzz around the future of Mr Chouhan. The BJP prolonged the suspense by holding multiple meetings on the issue, the latest by its central observers, to choose the next Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Making it more interesting, the caretaker Chief Minister posted the message "Sabhi ko Ram-Ram ('Ram Ram' to all)" on X.
The post, accompanied by Mr Chouhan's picture, sparked off speculation as "Ram Ram" is used both as a greeting as well as a parting message.
He later clarified during a visit to Khandwa that 'Ram Ram' is a common way to greet people, that Lord Ram is present in our every breath so Ram Ram came out unintentionally.
Days after the election result, Mr Chouhan was spotted having dinner with his family at a restaurant in Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal. The BJP leader was seen engaged in some important discussion with his two sons.
Mr Chouhan had earlier made it clear that he has never been a contender for the chief minister's post earlier or even now.
"I have neither been a contender for the chief minister (post) earlier nor am I today. As a party worker, I have always carried out whatever work assigned by the BJP with dedication, to the best of my ability, genuineness and honesty," he had said in a video statement shared on his official X account.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had not projected any chief ministerial face in the 2023 Assembly elections.
In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP bagged 163 of the 230 Assembly seats, while the Congress won 66 and the Bharat Adivasi Party secured one.