A first-time minister in the NDA coalition led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on June 10 was allotted the Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare ministry. Chouhan replaced Arjun Munda, who was headed the ministry in Modi Cabinet 2.0.
Additionally, Chouhan also got charge of the Ministry of Rural Development.
A prominent BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh and four-time Chief Minister, ‘mamaji’ as he is fondly referred took the oath as a Union Cabinet minister on June 9. Amid loud cheers, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was one of the first five ministers sworn in after PM Modi’s oath.
An experienced politician, Chouhan’s addition to the Union Cabinet is a strategic move in the NDA coalition government.
Chouhan’s political journey seemed to hit an abrupt halt after Mohan Yadav was appointed as CM following BJP’s impressive victory in last year’s assembly polls in MP. However, he demolished all assumptions of a quiet exit and contested from Vidisha, a seat he represented from 1991 to 2004, and roared back in style with a massive victory margin of over eight lakh votes.
During his CM tenure, his welfare initiatives, including the Ladli Laxmi, Kanyadaan Yojana, Sambal Yojana, Ladli Behna Yojana, and Gaon ki Beti, among others, have helped him carve a populist image among the people of Madhya Pradesh. The schemes have been instrumental in BJP’s victories in Madhya Pradesh in 2008, 2013 and 2023, and earning the admiration of the people, particularly women.
Born into a Kirar farmer’s family in Jait village in 1959, Chouhan, the longest-serving CM of Madhya Pradesh is fondly called ‘Mama’ and ‘Bhaiyya’ by the people. He rose to leadership beginning from the RSS and student politics in the 1970s and 80s.
He was part of the underground movement against the Emergency in the latter half of the 70s and was even briefly imprisoned.
Chouhan entered the political arena in 1990 when he was first elected to the state assembly from Budhni constituency. Next year, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the first time from Vidisha constituency.
As the state BJP president, Chouhan became the CM of Madhya Pradesh for the first time on November 30, 2005. He served as CM from 2005 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2023, making him the longest-serving CM of the state.
Chouhan holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya and is a gold medallist.