Bhopal: Asha Bairaisya and Leela Bai, two beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna Yojana to provide financial help to women in Madhya Pradesh, had a surprise visitor on the eve of Raksha Bandhan last month.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was standing at the doorstep of their sparse brick-and-mud houses to personally check if they were receiving monthly payments under the government’s cash transfer scheme.
As the women tied a rakhi on the chief minister, Yadav assured them of all support from his government which came to power after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) spectacular win in the assembly election last December.
Some might dismiss it as a publicity gimmick, but the chief minister’s visit was part of a calculated strategy to establish his credentials as a man of the people in Madhya Pradesh.
The reason is simple.
The 59-year-old Yadav has a tough act to follow in Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the state’s longest-serving chief minister who was an extremely popular leader known to often travel to remote villages and listen to people’s problems.
Since he took over barely eight months ago, Yadav has made every effort to come out of Chouhan’s shadow and establish himself as an equally accessible leader with a host of similar public outreach programmes.
After the visit to Asha and Leela’s homes, the state held many events where women of all age groups tied a rakhi to the new chief minister, a move that some said was aimed at being seen as a protective bhaiya (elder brother) in place of Chouhan, affectionately known as mamaji (maternal uncle).
Apart from interacting with beneficiaries of various official schemes, Yadav never misses an opportunity to cultivate his image as a people’s leader.
The chief minister—a surprise pick for the state’s top job—is often spotted stopping to greet street vendors while out shopping.
After he stopped to buy a kilo of guavas from a woman recently, the CM took to social media to say, “It is my endeavour to ensure there is always a smile on my sister’s face and sweetness in the guava she sells.”
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Strident Hindutva stand
While Yadav is following in Chouhan’s footsteps by being more accessible, he is also carving out his own identity by taking a more strident Hindutva stand.
Yadav—a staunch Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker whose political journey began as an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) political activist in the 1980s—has taken several bold decisions after he became chief minister.
He began by banning meat sales in the open and limiting the decibel level of loudspeakers in public places, a move that pushed mosques to take down their loudspeakers.
The state’s former higher education minister has also been working with the education department to include more subjects related to Hinduism and Indian culture in school and college syllabi.
“What is new is his belligerent tone of Hindutva which is unlike any other chief minister Madhya Pradesh has seen so far,” said senior journalist N.K.Singh.
“At a time when Yadav has embarked on an outreach programme much like Chouhan, one might think that his bold decisions and penchant for Hindutva are aimed at distinguishing himself from Chouhan and carving out his own identity.”
Bold decision-maker
Officials say Yadav is certainly a bold decision-maker who doesn’t linger on issues, however controversial, unlike Chouhan who tended to delay decisions.
One example is Yadav’s decision to go ahead with Patwari recruitment despite the opposition’s attacks on the BJP government over alleged malpractices in the recruitment exam. An inquiry committee gave the government a clean chit.
In another decisive move, Yadav also scrapped the Chouhan government’s dedicated bus corridor in Bhopal to ease the flow of traffic.
“Everyone was aware of its redundancy. But no step was taken to remove it. Mohan Yadav ordered its removal,” said a government official.
Yadav, the Ujjain South MLA, is also taking some of his predecessor’s schemes up a notch as he builds his image as a grassroots leader.
For instance, he has increased the popular Ladli Behna scheme’s monthly payment by Rs 250 to Rs 1,500. The Ladli Behna scheme was touted as a game-changer for the BJP during the 2023 assembly elections.
Similarly, while Chouhan put the livelihood of farmers and agriculture at the centre, Yadav is promoting animal husbandry with a special focus on cows and is actively working to bring investment to boost economy.
Under Yadav, Ujjain has emerged as the new centre of power with the state organising its first industrial summit there, followed by another regional summit in Jabalpur and, most recently, Gwalior.
“The BJP has constant meetings on how to effectively ensure that the benefits reach the most backward people in society,” BJP state general secretary Rajneesh Aggarwal told ThePrint.
“Through these meetings, a path was laid down by Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Mohan Yadav is now working to take it further and improve it.”
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Difference in governance styles
But many say there is a marked difference in the governance styles of Chouhan and Yadav.
“With Shivraj Singh Chouhan, there was a fine line that distinguished party activities from those of the government. And while there was complete support from the government for party activities, the government did not execute them,” said a government official.
“But under Mohan Yadav’s tenure, there is no distinction between the two. The agenda of the party is being enforced completely through government orders.”
After Yadav took over, the state government ordered schools and colleges along with district collectors and commissioners to organise events promoting Janmasthami. The order emphasised cultural events and seminars to promote the teachings of Lord Krishna.
According to a BJP leader, the chief minister’s office (CMO) is the final authority and other ministers have little freedom.
According to a party leader privy to matters, the chief minister dropped a list of works to be approved in the budget prepared by Minister for Public Works Rakesh Singh ahead of the budget session in July.
“For us, it might seem like Rakesh Singh is a senior leader … but ultimately it is the chief minister who is heading the states and the ultimate decision lies with that office,” said the BJP leader.
However, the Leader of Opposition, Umang Singhar, said though Yadav is following in Chouhan’s footsteps, there’s more publicity and little improvement on the ground.
“Chouhan had managed to fool the people of the state for long. He would make promises at public events and then conveniently forget them. Yadav is doing the exact same thing,” said Singhar.
Finding balance with bureaucracy
Some analysts believe Yadav’s government is still trying to find its balance with the bureaucracy.
Though Yadav’s government has retained the previous chief secretary, Veera Rana, the bureaucracy has seen several reshuffles since the new chief minister took over.
One of Yadav’s first orders after becoming chief minister was to move bureaucrats with important portfolios under Chouhan to less significant posts. Many of these decisions were later reversed.
The principal secretary (PS) to the chief minister under Chouhan’s tenure, Manish Rastogi, was first made PS of jails and then given charge of coordination at the chief secretary’s office. Five months later, he became PS of finance.
“Shivraj Singh Chouhan was very smart at shooting from the shoulders of bureaucrats. But Mohan Yadav is still trying to find his rhythm,” political commentator Rasheed Kidwai told ThePrint.
Officials say while Chouhan was more flexible, there is little tolerance for even genuine errors under Yadav. Bureaucrats are transferred when things go wrong in a bid to project a tough image.
Yadav might still be finding his rhythm, but the message is clear.
“Soon after taking over, Yadav through transfers ensured officers and MLAs considered close to Shivraj Singh Chouhan were kept at an arm’s distance, sending a clear message that those close to Shivraj were not safe,” said journalist N.K.Singh.
Now, all eyes are on the next chief secretary after Rana’s term ends 30 September. The governance agenda will be defined by who is the next chief secretary.
The question that many are asking is: Will senior IAS officer Rajesh Rajora, who has emerged as an important member of the CMO, be the next chief secretary?
Rajora was elevated to the post of additional chief secretary to the chief minister tasked with coordinating with the Prime Minister’s Office and handling major government works just three months ahead of Rana’s retirement.
It’s just a matter of weeks before the question is answered.
(Edited by Sugita Katya)
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