Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Son Triggers Row In Poll Campaign, Says 'Not A Single Brick Will Be Laid If...'

Ahead of the Budhni bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son, Kartikey Singh Chouhan, has sparked controversy following the release of a video on Friday.

In the clip, Kartikey is heard asserting that "not a single brick would get laid in the constituency" should a Congress MLA win the Assembly seat.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/kschauhan23

Kartikey has assumed leadership of the BJP campaign in Budhni, a constituency his father has long represented. The bypoll marks his first venture into the political field, reported The Indian Express.

The video shows Kartikey addressing a public rally in Budhni, warning that if the election results are close, "how will we face our leaders to ask for work?"

"Agar 19-20 hota hai toh aap samajhiye kiska nuksaan hoga. Apne pairon (pe) hum kyun kulhadi marein bhai? Apni polling mein gadbadi karke hum kyun apni izzat kharab karein? Kya humko nahin jaana apne mukhyamantri ke paas apna kaam karaane ke liye? Kya humko nahin jaana apne adarniya Krishi Mantri ke saath kaam karaane ke liye (If, by any chance, a Congress MLA wins here... then you realise who will suffer. Why would we harm ourselves? Why would we ruin our own reputation by causing polling irregularities? Don't we have to go to our Chief Minister to get work done? Don't we have to approach our honorable Agriculture Minister for our work)?" Kartikeya says.

Addressing the sarpanch, he adds: "Bataayiye sarpanch ji, kaise karayenge aap kaam? Jawab deejiye mujhe, agar 19-20 hua, kiss munh se jayenge hum humare netaon ke pass kaam karaane ke liye? Kaunsi sadak leke jaoge? Agar galti se bhi Congress ka vidhayak - waise hone wala nahin hai - lekin galti se bhi aa jaata hai, toh ek eent kisi ke gaon mein nahin lagne waali hai, samajh lena aap sab (Tell me, sarpanch ji, how will you get work done? Answer me, if things go wrong, how will you go to our leaders to get work done? What road will you take? If, even by mistake, the Congress MLA wins - though that is not going to happen - then not a brick will be laid in any village, you understand that)."

After the video circulated publicly, former chief minister and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh responded, advising Kartikey to "learn from his father."

He remarked, "In a democracy, both the government and the Opposition work together to build the nation. I was Chief Minister for 10 years, but I never used this kind of language - your father is a witness to this... You are like a grandson to me, not just a son. This is my opinion - you may accept it or not, that's up to you," Digvijaya posted on X.

Kartikey replied, saying that the people of Budhni were still haunted by memories of Digvijaya's 10-year rule as CM.

"I respect Digvijaya Singh... It gives me happiness that chacha sahab (Singh) looks at my statements from a close distance. On the other hand, when it comes to his statements, and that of Congress leaders, they only talk about fear. I would like to say this, 'Respected Digvijaya uncle, if anyone is scared of anything... it is your ten-year rule, in which you left... a state of destruction."

BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja defended Kartikey's remarks, explaining they were "aimed at boosting the morale of BJP workers." Saluja added, "He was saying that it would be difficult to get work done with a Congress MLA."

For the Budhni bypoll on November 13, the BJP has fielded Ramakant Bhargava. However, senior BJP leaders, including Saluja, acknowledged that Kartikey is "running the whole campaign in Budhni." Over recent days, he has been meeting with party workers at booth, mandal, and block levels.

Kartikey dismissed any speculation that he wanted the Budhni seat for himself, stating he doesn't need a ticket "to visit my father's home base." Kartikey also stated that Bhargava, who he considers like a "grandfather," is the candidate he is simply assisting in the campaign.

At the campaign's start, when asked about his political ambitions, Kartikey told a gathering: "Mein aaj se nahin, 20 saal, 10 saal se aa raha hoon aap logon ke beech mein, ghoom raha hoon. Mujhe ticket nahin mila, mujhe pata hai. Aage bhi koi nahin hai mujhe mile (It's not the first time I have come here, I have been coming for 10-20 years, been amidst you. I didn't get the ticket, I know. There is no guarantee I will get it in the future either). Still, I am amidst you. You know why? Because I love all of you, care for your well-being.

Isiliye apna bhala-bhura aap bhi samajhiye (So you too think about what's good for you)."

The BJP's Budhni campaign has encountered previous challenges with candidate selection. Rajendra Singh Rajput, a former MLA who resigned in 2005 to make way for Chouhan's candidacy, expressed dissatisfaction with Bhargava's selection, given that Chouhan has now moved on to Parliament. Kartikey ultimately pacified Rajput's supporters, later alleging that Congress members, disguised as BJP workers, were attempting to create "dissatisfaction."

Chouhan, who won from the Vidisha constituency in this year's Lok Sabha elections, first represented Budhni in 1990 and subsequently won it five times consecutively from 2006 to 2023.