Shivraj Singh Chouhan hardsells ‘beta, mama’ image

Gwalior/Morena: It’s ‘brand Shivraj’ on which  the BJP is banking to ma­ke a hattrick in Mad­hya Pradesh, wh­ere discontent against sitting MLAs of the party threatens to  snowball into a crisis in a number of constituencies.  

Despite denying ticket to 45 of its 143 MLAs in the  230-member state assembly, the anti-incumbency against the legislators is still a daunting task for the party, which has  ruled the state for past two consecutive terms.

Mindful of the resentment against his party’s MLAs, Chief  Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who hardsells his carefully cultivated image of bhai, beta and mama (brother, son and  maternal uncle) to people, repeatedly assures in constituency  after constituency that if people elect a BJP candidate, they  will have "two ML­As— one the local cand­idate and one Shi­vraj-  and I will never disapp­oint you, will give my life for your  development”.

Trailing the campaign of the chief minister in Chambal  region for a day brings out the strategy in clear terms.   In Joura assembly segment of Morena, he asks voters, “Do  you want to see Shivraj as the next chief minister? If you  want me to become chief minister, vote for the BJP candidate  Subedar Singh. After all it is MLAs, who will make the chief  minister.”

The Vaishyas, traditional voters of BJP, have strong  reservations against the local candidate, who as the marketing committee head some time ago took certain measures irking the  business community.  

Chouhan seeks to reassure, “I have come to you with a hope  that when hands are raised to elect me as CM, they  should include the hands of Joura MLA. If Subedar Singh  becomes your MLA, you will not have only one MLA. Shivraj will  your other MLA... If you want to make Shivraj chief minister,  you will have to make Subedar your MLA.”
  
BSP’s sitting MLA Maniram Dhakad, bel­ongs  to the community of Chouhan and poses a tough challenge.