Will carry out duties entrusted to me: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Bhopal: Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was shunted out of the state by the party leadership after he lost power in the state in the Assembly elections, on Sunday preferred to parry a question as to if he was happy with his new position as national vice-president of BJP.

“I will carry out the responsibilities en-trusted to me by the party sincerely,” Mr Chouhan, who retur-ned here on Sunday after participating in the national executive committee meeting of the party in Delhi, told reporters.

“My priority now is to win all 29 seats in MP for the party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections,” he added.

Mr Chouhan had earlier declared that he was not willing to shift to the Centre and preferred to serve the state “till my last breath” after the BJP lost power in MP in the Assembly elections. He was reportedly eyeing the post of BJP legislature party leader. However, the post went to senior party leader Gopal  Bhargav, considered his bête noire.

Sources said he had also lobbied with the Central leadership to head the state unit of the BJP and lead the party in the coming parliamentary polls. But, much to the chagrin of his camp here, he was appointed one of the six national vice-presidents of the BJP.

Party sources said Mr Chouhan may be asked to contest the ensuing LS elections either from Vidisha or Bhopal seats.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj who currently represents Vidisha Lok Sabha seat has already dropped hints that she may not contest polls in the future.

Sources said the party was considering replacing at least 50 per cent of sitting MPs in MP in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The BJP had won 27 out of 29 seats in MP in the last LS elections.