Bhopal: Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who according to political observers, has his own ways of staying in the limelight, has installed a new nameplate at his new bungalow that reads ‘Mama Ka Ghar’. The former CM is widely referred to as ‘Mama’ (maternal uncle) by people.
Chouhan had first earned the title of ‘Mama’ through his ‘Ladli Laxmi Yojana’ that he introduced during his tenure as CM in 2007.
The scheme, which provides financial support to the newly born girl child, earned him the tag ‘mama’ and the scheme was followed in some other states too.
“The address has changed, but Mama’s house is still Mama’s house. I will remain connected to you like a brother and uncle. The doors of my house will always be open for you,” Chouhan said after a nameplate reading ‘Mama Ka Ghar’ was fixed at his new residence on Wednesday.
Chouhan has recently vacated the bungalow in Shyamla Hills in the city — the CM House, for his successor and new Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
Chouhan lived in the CM house for over 16 years, and now, he got a new address at Arera Hills in Bhopal.
A political observer said that naming his new residence as ‘Mama Ka Ghar’, the 65-year-old BJP MLA from Budhni tried to send a message that even after stepping down from the state’s top post, “it is clear that Chouhan rules the hearts of lakhs of people as a brother and uncle”.
Meanwhile, during a visit to his hometown Budhni in Sehore district, around 55 km away from Bhopal, Chouhan on Wednesday said: “I will not go anywhere. I will live here and die here.”
He said this when some women seated in the audience section shouted “Bhaiyya (brother), don’t go anywhere, leaving us alone”.
Chouhan was made the Chief Minister for the first time in November 2005 replacing ex-CM Babulal Gaur, and he took the oath of the post for the fourth time in March 2020, when the Kamal Nath-led Congress government was toppled.
The former chief minister said all the work started by the previous BJP government, including the Ladli Behna Yojana (for women’s welfare), a housing scheme for beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme, a scheme of one job in each family and promises made to farmers, will be fulfilled by the current government.
–IANS