Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Shivraj Singh Chouhan will not only campaign in Uttar Pradesh
assembly elections, but also in Charkari next month in favour
of his once bete noire, Uma Bharti.
"Umaji is definitely a big national leader and I also
spoke to her. She asked me to campaign in Uttar Pradesh as
well as in Charkari," Chouhan told mediapersons here.
"I will be going for campaigning in the first week of
February and the exact dates will be worked out by the party
later on," he said.
Bharti, who has been fielded from the assembly seat
in Bundelkhand for the UP polls, left BJP after Chouhan was
made the Chief Minister following which she had floated her
new party, Bhartiya Janshakti.
On the issue of Salman Rushdie not being given
permission to take part in the Jaipur Literary Festival,
Chouhan in a guarded response said, "I am in favour of freedom
of speech. But one has to ensure that it should not cause any
hurt to others."
"May be, the security of the author could also be the
reason behind the decision," Chouhan said refusing to further
comment on the issue.
To a question on Surya Namaskar, he said it is being
performed in the state since 2007-08 and not a new
development.
It is an exercise aimed at keeping one fully fit and
if someone does not want to do it then there is no compulsion
for him or her to take part in it.
PTI
