MP: Shivraj Will Be Sent to LS: Athawale

 Bhopal: Amid suspense over future role of four-time chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan following BJP’s decision not to retain him in the CM’s post after the party won landslide victory in the November Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday claimed that the former would be sent to Lok Sabha in the upcoming polls.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Athawale said that Mr Chouhan had done good works for the state and that’s why he was made chief minister four times.

The Union minister gave full credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the stupendous victory of BJP in Madhya Pradesh in November Assembly polls.

He however hastened to add that Mr Chouhan also worked hard in the elections.

Mr Athawale said that Mr Chouhan would be given an appropriate role by the BJP.

“Mr Chouhan will be fielded in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He will be inducted in the Central ministry in the next government”, Mr Athawale, who also heads the Republican Party of India, said.

Mr Athawale’s party is an alliance partner of BJP-led NDA.

Replying to a question, he justified Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s fresh U-turn, saying that he had earlier cautioned Mr Kumar not to have any truck with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav.

“Mr Kumar has now done the right thing by snapping ties with RJD and returning to the NDA fold”, he said.

Mr Athawale said that the INDI alliance has suffered a severe setback following Mr Kumar’s exit from the nascent grouping.

“INDI alliance is weakening”, he said.

He took a dig at Congress leadership for spurning invitation to Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, saying that the grand old party should not have done politics on the issue.

“Ram temple consecration ceremony was not a BJP-sponsored programme. Ram Temple Trust was holding the programme. The trust had invited political leaders of the country.

I am a Buddhist. But, I respect the religious sentiments of Hindus. B R Ambedkar has taught us that our religion may be different, but as Indians we are all one. Congress leadership should have honoured the invitation”, he added.

He also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying that the Congress leader should instead start Congress Jodo Yatra.