MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan ends ‘peace fast’

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday ended his “peace fast” in which his wife Sadhna gave him company, by taking a glass of coconut water from veteran saffron leader Kailash Joshi, and then the offerings of Datia’s Peetambara Peetha deity- known for rescuing her devotees out of political crises — served by BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijavargiya, considered his bête noir.

The occasion turned a show of unity in BJP with senior party leaders, both loyalists and dissidents, seen congratulating him for breaking his 28-hour-long fast, even as state women and child development minister Maya Singh offered a glass of coconut water to Mr Chouhan’s wife to end her fast.

The unity show came in the wake of reports that bickering in the ruling party had exacerbated the situation during farmer unrest.

“I am now fully satisfied that complete normalcy has been restored in the state. No incidents of violence have been reported from anywhere since Friday night. Even kin of victims of police firing at Mandsaur met me here requesting me to end fast”,  Mr Chouhan, who appeared relaxed and confident for the first time after the farmer unrest hit the state on June one, told reporters. Earlier, the chief minister along with his wife spent the whole night in the waterproof dome built for the occasion amid heavy downpour.

The local news channels telecasted his night stay in the tent, generating sympathy for the couple.

In the morning, he met delegations of small farmers and representatives of 236 farmer bodies to hear their grievances.

Earlier, Mr Chouhan led the attack on the Congress, dubbing the party as “conspirator” and “instigator” of violence witnessed during ten-day farmer’s stir that ended on Saturday.

“A manipulated video clipping was circulated during the agitation to drive a wedge between me and the farmers. My reactions to employees’ agitation earlier in which I had warned not release a single additional pie to them was shown as my reaction to the farmer’s agitation”, he said.

“The forces behind violence will be unmasked”, he announced in a veiled threat to Congress.