Kartikey Chouhan, son of Shivraj Chouhan
With Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the former chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, making to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet and the switch to Delhi, political circles are abuzz about the possible rise of his son Kartikey Singh Chouhan.
Mr Chouhan, now Union Agriculture Minister, led a grand roadshow in Bhopal last Sunday. This was followed by a workers' gratitude conference in Bherunda, Sehore, on Friday amid huge buzz that the Minister's son, Kartikey Chouhan, might be fielded from the Budhni Assembly seat vacated by his father.
In Bhopal, Mr Chouhan's roadshow drew massive crowds, underscoring people's love for the leader. Supporters lined both sides of the the streets, waved flags and cheered for him.
In Bherunda, Sehore, at a workers' gratitude conference, to celebrate the historic victory of Mr Chouhan in the Budhni Assembly, Kartikey Chauhan, along with his mother Sadhana Singh, thanked the people. Senior Chouhan addressed the gathering through video conferencing.
Addressing the workers, Kartikey Chouhan highlighted the overwhelming support from the Budhni Assembly constituency, where his father secured a remarkable victory by 1.5 lakh votes.
"The people of Budhni have consistently given their blessings to our leader, making Shivraj ji the MLA six times. He is the only leader whose election is fought by the people of the constituency. I bow at your feet," said the Junior Chouhan, an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
The event was attended by several officials, including the BJP District President. Kartikey Chouhan used this platform to discuss various issues with the workers and reflect on the challenges faced during the 2023 elections.
"Many fingers were raised, but we have given a befitting reply to the intellectuals. I do not see any difference between you, me and Shivraj ji. We all have many bodies and one soul," said the son.
"In the 2024 elections, everyone put forward their views in the Vidisha parliamentary constituency meeting. The results came out, and we registered a victory by one and a half lakh votes," he proudly announced.
Shivraj Chouhan, popularly known as Mama (maternal uncle), expressed gratitude for the love and respect shown by the people.
"It is because of your love and respect that I have reached here. I bow at your feet. Due to my busy schedule, I could not come, but I will definitely come next week. Development work will continue uninterrupted," he assured.
Highlighting his father's enduring popularity, Kartikeya Chouhan said, "Our leader was popular even as Chief Minister, and he became more popular when he was not the Chief Minister. After such a huge victory, today even the entire Delhi bows down. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, our leader Shivraj Singh Chauhan is counted among the biggest leaders in the country."
Congress' Digvijaya Singh, who lost from Raghogarh in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls, made light of Junior Chouhan's remarks.
"If Shivraj's popularity truly extends from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, BJP leaders should acknowledge this and consider promoting Shivraj to the position of Prime Minister," said Mr Singh.
Amid these celebrations, there is growing speculation that Kartikey Chouhan might be fielded from the Budhni Assembly seat, which was vacated by his father after being elected as a Member of Parliament. This potential move could further consolidate the Chouhan family's influence in the region.