Mohan Yadav to take oath as Madhya Pradesh CM; PM Modi, Amit Shah to attend ceremony
Bhopal (PTI): Mohan Yadav will take oath as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh here on Wednesday and the event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states among others, a party leader said.
The state will also have two deputy chief ministers - Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda. They will also take oath along with Yadav, state BJP chief Vishnu Dutt Sharma said.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the swearing-in ceremony scheduled at 11.30 am at the Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal, Sharma and outgoing CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan told reporters on Tuesday after reviewing preparations for the ceremony.
"Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda, the chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states and central ministers among others will attend the oath-taking ceremony," Sharma said.
Chouhan said as a caretaker chief minister it was his duty to see that all preparations were made for the swearing-in ceremony.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will also attend the function, a BJP spokesperson said.
A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party workers, especially from Yadav's hometown Ujjain, are also expected to be present for the ceremony, party sources said.
Ending days of suspense, the BJP on Monday picked Yadav as the new chief minister of the state and denied party stalwart Shivraj Singh Chouhan a record fifth term in office.
Yadav (58), a minister in the Chouhan government, was elected unanimously as the BJP legislative party leader during a meeting on Monday.
Senior BJP leader and newly-elected MLA Narendra Singh Tomar, who was among contenders for the CM's post, will be the new assembly speaker.
Yadav, who was not being seen as a contender for the top post, is considered to be close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and hails from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community which accounts for more than 48 per cent of the state's population.
After he was named as chief minister-designate on Monday, Yadav met Governor Mangubhai Patel and staked a claim to form the next government.
Yadav was elected as MLA from Ujjain South seat for the first time in 2013. He retained the assembly seat in 2018 and again in 2023.
In the last month's assembly elections, the BJP won 163 of the 230 assembly seats in the state, relegating the Congress to a distant second with 66 seats.
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Controversy surrounding book on Shivaji Maharaj 'unwarranted', says Fadnavis
Solapur (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday termed as "unwarranted" the controversy over a book on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in which Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad allegedly made objectionable remarks against its publisher.
An audio clip surfaced last week on social media, in which Gaikwad was heard using offensive language and threatening Kolhapur-based publisher Prashant Ambi. The MLA referred to the book titled 'Shivaji Kon Hota' (Who was Shivaji), written by CPI leader Govind Pansare and originally published in 1988.
Talking to reporters here, CM Fadnavis, "The book was published in the 1980s. Have those who have raked up a controversy read the book? The stature of the warrior king is so big that no one can insult him. Whatever is happening is anti-social and insensitive."
The controversy over the book is unwarranted, he said, and cautioned against attempts to sensationalise issues merely to remain in the news.
When asked about the BJP's candidates for the upcoming legislative council polls, Fadnavis said appointments and candidate selections are decided by the party's parliamentary board, and not by him individually.
"All decisions will be taken as per the party process," he said, adding that discussions are ongoing and outcomes will be known after due deliberations.
Nine council members, including former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, are retiring on May 13. As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, polling will be held on May 12. The counting of votes will take place on the same day at 5 pm, and the entire process is expected to be completed by May 13.
The BJP has decided to contest four of the nine seats in the biennial elections.
On the sugar sector, he said the state has consistently achieved over 99 per cent of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) payments to farmers, though there may be minor fluctuations due to market conditions affecting sugar mills.
He added that the government has extended support to the sector and held meetings to address issues faced by factories. A committee has been formed to review post-season challenges and suggest policy measures, including possible assistance from the Centre.
