The Bharatiya Janata Party announced the name of Ujjain South MLA Mohan Yadav as the new Madhya Pradesh chief minister. The 58-year-old leader was a minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet.
Yadav will be the fifth chief minister from the BJP after Sunderlal Patwa, Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur and Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The decision was taken at a meeting held in Bhopal late on Monday. Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla from Rewa have been elected as deputy chief ministers.
Narendra Singh Tomar has been named as the new assembly speaker.
“I am a small worker of the party. I thank all of you, the state leadership and the central leadership. With your love and support, I will try to fulfil my responsibilities,” Yadav said after being named as the chief minister-elect.
During the meeting, BJP observers including Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP OBC Morcha president K Laxman and national secretary Asha Lakra discussed the names with the victorious MLA-elects.
Mohan Yadav, backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, served as the higher education minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
Yadav’s anointment as the chief minister elect comes 10 days after the BJP’s victory in the state. The BJP had contested the election for the first time in 20 years without a chief ministerial face. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held at least 14 rallies in the state.
Yadav is skilled in stick and sword fighting. He has a law degree, an MBA, and a PhD in political science. Yadav is a three-time MLA and a strong Hindutva voice with a background in the RSS. Yadav’s interest in local development issues earned him the post of Ujjain Development Authority chairperson.
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