MP CM Shivraj Chouhan bows down to audience during Mandsaur rally

Mandsaur: Known for his charismatic ways with people and voters, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan displayed this once again on Friday in bypoll-bound Suwasra of Mandsaur, when he knelt on the dais to thank voters and party workers for their support.

The video and photograph of Chouhan kneeling on the dais with folded hands and bowed head went viral on social media, causing the opposition Congress to take a dig at him.

“Thank you Kamal Nath ji, you brought a chief minister of 15 years to his knees with tenure of just 15 months. This is the difference between truth and drama. It seems the spirit of minister Pradyumna Singh Tomar (drama) has entered into him too,” Congress spokesman K.K. Mishra tweeted with a photograph of Chouhan bowing.

#WATCH MP CM bows down to people during a rally in Mandsaur as a mark of gratitude towards them.

"If I've become CM for the 4th time, it's because of Mandsaur & Neemuch...When everyone said BJP would be whitewashed from these areas during elections, you supported us," he says. pic.twitter.com/as4uC9iaWf

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2020

The chief minister, who was attending a workers’ convention in Kyampur of Suwasra, said that if he was able to become the chief minister for the fourth time, the voters in Mandsaur and (neighbouring) Neemuch district played a major role. “You gave us all the seats, save for a 300 [vote] margin on only one of them. But you will rectify that this time, won’t you?” Chouhan said, indicating the fact that his now cabinet colleague, Hardeep Singh Dang, had won the Suwasra seat in 2018 Assembly polls by a thin margin, while remaining six seats in the two districts were won by BJP.

Dang has since resigned his MLA position to join BJP and is contesting again from the seat on a BJP ticket in the bypolls. Chouhan conducted the meeting in his support.

Chouhan then went ahead to say “I have a heartfelt desire, and I never do my politics with my head but with my heart, to bow before the people and workers of Mandsaur to express my gratitude.” Then moving away from the podium to the front of the dais, Chouhan knelt down, bowed his head and folded his hand to greet the entire gamut of the attendees amid a loud cheer.

He then went on to say that Mandsaur and Neemuch stood with the party when everyone said that the party will be totally wiped out in the region, and he (Chouhan) will never forget this.

At the same meeting, Chouhan again attacked his predecessor Kamal Nath, saying his predecessor always made excuses of inadequate budget whenever any MLA or minister approached him with any work.

“But mama (maternal uncle as Chouhan is popularly referred to) says that there is no dearth of funds for development. What kind of leader sits mutely and gives excuses of dearth of funds. Leaders are only those who support people in tough times, those who carve a way out in any situation. I promise you that I will not make any compromise with development and will never let lack of funds hinder any work. But this will be possible only if our government continues,” Chouhan said while seeking people’s vote for Dang and the party.