BJP leader and four-time Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made a notable entry into the Union Cabinet by taking the oath as a Union Cabinet Minister on Sunday. Chouhan received loud cheers from the crowd, marking his significant debut in the central government. He was among the first five ministers sworn in after Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision on his specific portfolio will be taken later.
Born into a Kirar farmer's family in Jait village in 1959, Chouhan is affectionately known as 'Mama' and 'Bhaiyya' by the people of Madhya Pradesh. He began his political journey through the RSS and student politics in the 1970s and 80s and was part of the underground movement against the Emergency, for which he was briefly imprisoned.
Chouhan’s political prominence appeared to wane after he chose not to continue as Chief Minister, with Mohan Yadav taking over following the BJP's significant victory in the last assembly elections. However, Chouhan made a strong comeback by winning the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat, which he had previously represented from 1991 to 2004, with a substantial margin of over eight lakh votes.
Chouhan attributes his electoral success to the people's support, which he described as the "victory of your love". His popular welfare schemes, particularly the Laadli Laxmi Yojana, have been pivotal in the BJP's victories in Madhya Pradesh in 2008, 2013, and 2023, garnering widespread admiration, especially from women.
Chouhan's entry into state politics began in 1990 when he was first elected to the Madhya Pradesh state assembly from the Budhni constituency. The following year, he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Vidisha. The BJP chose him to lead the Madhya Pradesh government for the first time in 2005 when he was the state BJP chief. He served as Chief Minister from 2005 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2023, becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state.
In December 2023, after nearly 17 years and four terms as Chief Minister, Chouhan resigned to make way for Mohan Yadav, who led the BJP to a significant victory. Chouhan then contested the Lok Sabha election from Vidisha, defeating Congress’s Pratabhanu Sharma by over eight lakh votes.
Throughout his tenure as Chief Minister, Chouhan initiated numerous welfare programs, including the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, Kanyadaan Yojana, Sambal Yojana, Ladli Behna Yojana, and Gaon ki Beti, which have helped him maintain a strong populist image among the people of Madhya Pradesh.
Within the BJP, Chouhan has held various key positions, including National President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, National General Secretary of BJP, and President of BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit. He holds a Master's degree in Philosophy from Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya, where he was a gold medalist.
