New Madhya Pradesh CM: BJP keeps 20-year OBC streak alive, picks 3-time MLA Mohan Yadav as new CM | India News

NEW DELHI: In a surprising twist, the BJP on Monday selected three-time MLA Mohan Yadav as the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, denying stalwart leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan a record fifth term at the top post.
The BJP also announced not one, but two deputy chief ministers for the state – Jagdish Deora and Rajendra Shukla.

Meanwhile, the role of speaker for the 16th Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly was bestowed upon former Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who was speculated to be in the running for the CM post.

“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,” said Yadav, who won the state polls from Ujjain South seat and was a cabinet minister in the Chouhan government.

“I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda. I will work on the welfare and development (schemes) launched by PM Modi and (outgoing) chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan,” he added.
After the announcement, Yadav met Governor Mangubhai C. Patel at Raj Bhavan in Bhopal and staked claim to form the government
OBC leader at helm again
Monday’s decision — ending over a week’s suspense on who would lead the party’s new government — was taken during the legislature party meeting in Bhopal that was attended by the 163 newly elected BJP MLAs as well as the party’s three central observers.

Since 2003, all three CMs of the BJP in MP, namely Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur, and Chouhan, have been from the Other Backward Classes (OBC).
CM-designate Mohan Yadav, 58, is also an OBC leader. The population of OBCs in MP is around 48%.
New CM was expected
Madhya Pradesh went to poll for 230 assembly seats in a single phase on November 17 and the counting of votes was done on December 3.

The BJP, which had been battling close to 20 years of incumbency in the state, won a resounding mandate, bagging 163 seats, while the Congress finished a distant second at 66 seats.
Many political analysts had expected a change in CM face after the BJP announced that three central observers — Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, OBC Morcha head K Laxman and party’s state national secretary Asha Lakra — would take part in the legislature party meeting to decide the name.
Notably, the party made central observers last time in the state in 2005 when former CM Babu Lal Gaur left the top post. After that, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan took the oath for the first time as CM in November 2005.
Earlier, the central observers were appointed in 2004 when former CM Uma Bharti left the top post, after which Gaur was appointed as CM.

Since 2005, no central observers were appointed in the state. During the state assembly polls in 2008 and 2013, the BJP remained in power and Chouhan continued to be the CM of the state.
Rumours that Chouhan may not return as CM grew after the BJP leader himself made a post on X, which was widely seen as a ‘farewell’ message.

From his official X handle, Chouhan had posted a picture of him and captioned it with “sabhi ko Ram Ram (Ram Ram to all)”.Watch Breaking: Mohan Yadav to replace Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister