Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, announced the portfolios for the Modi 3.0 government, with several key ministers retaining their roles. Amit Shah continues as the Minister of Home Affairs, while Rajnath Singh remains the Minister of Defence. Nitin Gadkari retains his position as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been appointed as the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Minister of Rural Development in the Modi 3.0 Cabinet.
#WATCH | BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan sworn in as Union Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government pic.twitter.com/wQj0fPe0Yy
— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2024
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, born on March 5, 1959, is a seasoned Indian politician and a prominent member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 2020 to 2023, and earlier from 2005 to 2018. Chouhan has also been a Member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Budhni since 2006 and previously from 1990 to 1991. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Chouhan’s political journey began with his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1972 at the age of 13. He rose through the ranks of the BJP, holding various significant positions, including National Vice President from 2019 to 2020, member of the Parliamentary Board, and member of the Central Election Committee. He also led the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 2000 to 2002. Chouhan represented Vidisha in the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 2005 and again in the 18th Lok Sabha.
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Renowned for his welfare initiatives, Chouhan introduced several impactful schemes such as providing rice at Rs 1 per kg for the impoverished, the Sambal scheme for maternity assistance to women labourers, free education for girls from low-income families, and the Ladli Laxmi Yojana. These initiatives significantly contributed to the BJP’s victories in the 2008, 2013, and 2023 state elections.
Chouhan’s early political career took off when he was elected President of the Model School Students Union in 1975. He actively participated in the underground movement against the Emergency from 1976 to 1977, which led to his imprisonment in Bhopal Jail for a period.
Throughout his career, Chouhan held numerous positions, including:
– Convener of Akhil Bhartiya Keshariya Vahini (1991-1992)
– Member of the Committee on Labour and Welfare (1993-1996)
– Member of the Hindi Salahkar Samiti (1994-2000)
In 1990, Chouhan was elected to the Madhya Pradesh State Assembly from Budhni, marking the beginning of his legislative career. The following year, he was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha from Vidisha. He was re-elected to the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996, where he served on the Committee on Urban and Rural Development. His political journey continued with re-elections to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999, where he held various committee positions.
Chouhan’s prominence in the BJP grew as he served as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (2000-2003), National Secretary of the BJP, and General Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh state unit. Despite losing to the incumbent Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh in the 2003 Assembly elections, Chouhan remained a significant political figure.
In 2005, Chouhan was appointed Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. He secured his position by winning a by-election from Budhni in 2006. Under his leadership, the BJP won consecutive state elections in 2008 and 2013. Although the BJP failed to secure a majority in the 2018 state elections, Chouhan returned as Chief Minister in March 2020 after the collapse of the Kamal Nath government.
As of December 2023, Shivraj Singh Chouhan remains the longest-serving Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
