Shivraj Singh Chouhan Likely To Stay Madhya Pradesh CM Till Lok Sabha Election: Sources

Following the BJP's triumph in Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is on the brink of securing another term as the Chief Minister of the state. Nevertheless, internal sources indicate that the party is considering designating Chouhan as the Chief Minister until the Lok Sabha Elections in 2024.

Image credit: ANI

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections of 2023 witnessed a resounding victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, securing a substantial 164 seats in the state. This outcome starkly contradicted the earlier exit polls, which had predicted a fierce contest between the Congress and the BJP, as the saffron party clinched a landslide triumph.

With the BJP emerging victorious in Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is poised for another term as the Chief Minister of the state. However, insider sources suggest that the party is contemplating appointing Chouhan as the Chief Minister until the Lok Sabha Elections in 2024.

Experts point out that the BJP's decisive victory, surpassing the majority threshold of 127 seats, eliminates any potential pressure on the party to reconsider appointing Shivraj as the CM for the state. Even if his loyalist MLAs were to dissent, it is believed that it would not impact the party's standing in the current electoral context.

The scenario would have been different had the BJP not secured a landslide majority in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. In such a case, there might have been pressure to install Shivraj as the CM, as his loyalist MLAs could have posed a threat to resign and alter the electoral dynamics in the state. The BJP had not declared Shivraj as the CM face before entering the poll and it was speculated that the saffron party may change CM if it wins the polls. However, after securing a landslide majority, changing CM may have a negative effect on the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Thus,  given the current circumstances, it is highly probable that Shivraj will be designated as the CM until the Lok Sabha Elections in 2024. 

In the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Chunav, the BJP clinched a resounding victory with 164 seats, leaving the Congress trailing behind with 65 seats. The incumbent Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Budhni, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, secured a significant win with a margin of 1,64,951 votes, amassing a total of 1,04,974 votes. Chouhan's opponent, Congress leader Vikram Mastal Sharma, managed to secure only 59,977 votes