MP: How 'Mamaji' Shivraj Singh Chouhan won the state with his 'Ladlis'
Chouhan’s electoral campaign this time almost entirely relied on his welfare schemes for women like the Ladli Behana Yojana and Ladli Laxmi
The four-time incumbent Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is making the right noises praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies and the double engine government, for the BJP's resounding lead in the state assembly elections.
But, political observers believe the BJP is poised to form the government in the state largely due to the efforts of its self-effacing CM and his schemes for women.
Chouhan’s electoral campaign this time, in fact, almost entirely relied on his welfeare schemes for women. Besides, his poll-time announcement of a 35 per cent quota for many state government jobs, which also seemed to have worked in his favour. Though, his own party shied away from projecting him as the CM worried about a “fatigue factor” against him, this victory has turned the tables completely in his favour.
According to reports, Chouhan banked heavily on his schemes for women like the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' and 'Ladli Laxmi' and this gamble seems to have paid off. In a state, which has a female population of 2.67 crore that make up over 48 per cent of the total 5.52 crore voters, the incumbent CM felt they would set him on the path to victory.
Just a day ahead of voting in the state, Chouhan had told reporters dismissing this electoral battle as a neck-to-neck fight with Congress, "What neck to neck, fight? The daughters and sisters have removed all obstacles and set us on the road to victory.”
As the counting began today (December 3) and early trends showed the BJP moving towards victory, Chouhan said, "I give the whole credit to the Ladli Behnas for this impressive performance." Under this scheme, ₹1,250 are transferred to accounts of eligible women from poor families in the state. While the 'Ladli Laxmi Yojana" is an initiative in which the state works to improve the health and educational status of the girls. It seeks to prevent female foeticide and to bring a positive attitude among people towards the girl child and prevent child marriages.
In his campaigns, Chouhan projected himself as a champion of women's causes and went around asserting that he is the "voice of women's empowerment". The women voters lapped up these sentiments and seemed to love their Mamaji (uncle). At a recent event in Burhanpur, Chouhan washed the feet of two women, who in turn showered him with petals, as he released the ₹597-crore instalment of the Ladli Behna Yojana meant for women.
Born in March 1959 into a farmer’s family in Sehore district, he joined the ABVP, while in college and was elected from the Vidisha constituency in 1991, a seat he would go on to win three more times.
In this election, Chouhan was pitted against Congress candidate, television actor Vikram Matsal, who played the role of Hanuman in the 2008 reboot of Ramayan.
