Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the four-time chief minister of Madhya Pradesh who was replaced by Mohan Yadav, said that sometimes one ends up in exile (vanvas) while waiting for coronation (raj tilak).
Chouhan's comments came while addressing a gathering in Shahganj town in his constituency of Budhni on Tuesday evening. The BJP's top leadership picked Yadav over Chouhan as the CM after securing a resounding victory in the recently concluded Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.
The senior BJP leader assured that the various welfare schemes started under his administration like the Ladli Behna Yojana (for women's welfare), housing scheme for beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme, a scheme of one job in each family and promises made to farmers, will be fulfilled by the present dispensation.
"The new government will take forward all these works. There must be some big objective somewhere, sometimes by the time 'rajtilak' takes place, one even ends up in 'vanvas' (exile). But all this happens to fulfil some or the other objective," Chouhan said.
Breaking down while speaking, Chouhan, whose future in the party remains uncertain, said that he would continue to be among the people, especially his "sisters" while referring to the women voters.
"I will not go anywhere. I will live here and die here," he said when a couple of women sitting in the audience shouted, "Bhaiyya (brother), don't go anywhere leaving us alone."
He also noted that children who were among the audience had come to show their love for "mama" (maternal uncle - as Chouhan is popularly referred to).
Earlier, a large number of BJP workers and women welcomed Chouhan on his arrival in Shahganj.
Chouhan won the assembly polls from Budhni assembly seat by a margin of more than 1.04 lakh votes over his Congress rival Vikram Mastal.
In the November 2023 state elections, the BJP bagged 163 of the 230 assembly seats, posting a resounding victory and retaining power in the central state.
(With PTI inputs)