Shivraj Singh Chouhan is known for efficient execution skills. In more than one decade of governance he created states’ own welfare schemes as well as implemented the welfare schemes by the centre very efficiently. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Grameen) has become major vote catcher for the party in Below Poverty level (BPL) households. MP has built 11 lakh houses for the poor in the state out of the targeted 14 lakh. This is the highest number of houses built under the scheme in any state. Senior BJP leaders said that there is ‘excellent ground level feedback’ from the poor people in the state.
The excellent execution of centre’s scheme has helped the BPL households to live with dignity. The houses built under PMAY (G) are equipped with all basic amenities like toilet, LPG connection, electricity connection, LED bulbs, fans and clean drinking water. These facilities are being provided to BPL houses under other welfare schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Ujjwala Yojana LPG gas connection, Saubhagya Yojana electricity connection. The merger of these schemes which are primarily targeted at poor households help families get a fully equipped house for living a dignified life.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan became the Chief Minister in 2005 after BJP changed two chief ministers in less than two years. When made CM in 2005, Chouhan was considered a political lightweight despite more than two decades of political expertise. Madhya Pradesh witnessed among highest agricultural growth rates in country and therefore millions of people were uplifted from poverty. The industrial sector also performed well despite the human capital and industrial base limitations. Indore and Bhopal became showcase of MP’s resurgent economy. The city of Indore ranked cleanest city in the country in last two years as per the Swachh Survekshan report published by urban development ministry. The welfare policies made him one of the most popular political leaders in the country.
The policies of Shivraj Singh Chouhan got him second and third term consecutively. In fact, the number of seats won by the party increased in 2013 MP Vidhan Sabha elections when compared to the 2008 elections. Madhya Pradesh government is known for caring its citizens from life to death with cash transfers for childbirth, marriage, and pilgrimage for senior citizens. Despite the 13 years rule of Chouhan there are no signs of anti-incumbency in the state. Lokniti-CSDS survey, most entrusted electoral survey in the country found that 45 percent of MP Citizens feel that their government should get another chance. A quarter of the respondents said they are ‘fully satisfied’ with their government. BJP won 165 seats out of 230 which is two third majority in 2013 assembly election. Congress on the other hand could win only 58 seats, BJP is expected to repeat the same success in 2018 assembly elections as majority of citizens are satisfied with government’s track record.
When Shivraj Singh Chouhan got at the helm of state affairs, MP was among the BIMARU (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) states. The acronym represents most underdeveloped states of the country. In less than a decade and a half he has been able pull the state out of the league of most underdeveloped states of the country. The efforts of Chouhan for the welfare of poor and downtrodden people of the state will definitely help him in getting re-elected.