'Upset' BJP minister meets Madhya Pradesh CM, party says all is well

Bhopal, July 24 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh BJP Minister Nagar Singh Chouhan, who was upset after being divested of the key Forest and Environment portfolio, has met Chief Minister Mohan Yadav after meeting the party’s central leadership in Delhi.  

Chouhan, a four-time tribal MLA who is now left with the Scheduled Caste Welfare portfolio, had said he would quit the ministerial post and serve the people of his community, adding that his wife Anita Nagar Singh Chouhan, who is a first-time Lok Sabha member, might also quit as an MP.

On Sunday, Nagar Singh Chouhan was divested of the Forest and Environment portfolio which was allotted to Ramnivas Rawat, a six-time Congress MLA who switched sides to the BJP on April 30.

On Tuesday, Nagar Singh Chouhan visited Delhi to meet the party’s central leadership to sort out the difference. However, the central leadership did not intervene and asked the state leadership to handle the situation.

Sources told IANS that Chouhan, who is considered a close aide of former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, also met him during his visit to Delhi.

However, before returning to Madhya Pradesh, the Minister shared a couple of videos on his social media handles and introduced himself just as an MLA from Alirajpur.

Another twist in the story came after the tribal leader along with state BJP Chief V. D. Sharma and General Secretary (Organisation) Hitanand Sharma visited Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s residence at midnight on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the BJP shared the photographs and a video on its social media handles, showing them all laughing during the meeting at the Chief Minister’s House. The BJP leaders also claimed things have been settled down in the party.

Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Vishwas Sarang responding to Chouhan’s issue claimed there was no difference within the party and blamed Congress for playing politics.

“This issue has been resolved. Congress was trying to politicise the issue in the name of tribals,” Sarang told IANS.

V. D. Sharma and Nagar Singh Chouhan refrained from making any statement on this matter.