BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Monday dismissed reports of a change of Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh and stated that Shivraj Singh Chouhan will continue in the post.
Speaking to reporters in Indore, Vijayvargiya said: “These speculations are completely rubbish. The state will run under Chouhan’s leadership.”
State Home Minister Narottam Mishra reiterated the stand, telling reporters in Bhopal, “Respected Shivraj Singhji was the Chief Minister; is the CM and will continue to be the CM.”
Rumours of a change in chief minister had surfaced after a series of meetings between various party leaders in Bhopal.
In the last week of May, Vijayvargiya had met Mishra in Bhopal. He then held meetings with Medical of Medical Education Vishvas Kailash Sarang and Union minister Prahlad Singh Patel over the course of the week.
After Vijayvargiya’s meeting, BJP vice president Prabhat Jha held meetings with Mishra. Both Jha and Vijayvargiya have said these were casual meetings. However, the scheduled arrival of senior BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia further fuelled rumours of a change in leadership.
Claiming that it was Mishra and Vijayvargiya themselves who were fuelling the rumours, Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja said Monday’s remarks were a U-turn on the part of both leaders.