Thorny throne

With Scindia gaining ground and BJP loyalists upset at being overlooked, Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s fourth term as chief minister could be his toughest

- SRAVANI SARKAR

WHEN SHIVRAJ SINGH Chouhan reached Delhi for the second time in a week on July 5, the rumour mills began churning. Though the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was “officially” there to meet Union ministers about developmental work in his state, it was widely seen as a visit to get the BJP leadership’s nod for the allocation of portfolios to his recently inducted cabinet ministers. The fact that he met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda only bolstered the rumours.

Apparently, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who got 11 of his aides into the cabinet of 34, apart from three other former Congress MLAs, was pressuring Chouhan for portfolios of his choice. Knowing that his loyalist ministers would have to face byelections soon, Scindia wanted departments that had a direct connect with the people, said sources. Chouhan, too, wanted these departments, either for himself or for the original BJP members. However, wanting to avoid a tussle, Chouhan had once again deferred to the central leadership, said sources.

The portfolios were assigned on July 13, 11 days after the cabinet expansion. And though a balance was struck, the Scindia camp looks more dominant, having gotten the departments of its choice.

Congress leaders were quick to point out Chouhan’s “helplessness” as a chief minister, and brought up rumours that he might be replaced, at the first opportunity, by someone like Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar or Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra.