'Not possible for all to get government jobs', says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Your performance in Madhya Pradesh elections was relatively good, but why did the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bring its three most powerful state leaders into national politics?
 

The party aims to utilise each and every worker efficiently for fulfilling its organisational roles. Raman Singh, Vasundhara Raje and I have been chief ministers thrice. We also have a long experience of organizational work. The opportunity to work at the national level as vice president with Amit Shah ji is a privilege for us. We have been told to look after the state as well as national issues.

Is it true that you were ready to become leader of the Opposition in Madhya Pradesh assembly?
 

No, it is not. I did not want to be like a banyan tree that doesn’t let anything else grow underneath. There should be new leadership in every state. It would be wrong on my part to think there was no one else to take charge in the state. I have been CM for 13 years. I have served in almost all capacities except national president of the party. I am attached to the seven and a half million people of Madhya Pradesh. I do not need a position to serve the people of the state.

How challenging will it be to repeat the previous performance of Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections?
 

My assessment is that we will repeat the previous performance. You can go and see in the state, the people feel that the BJP should not have lost majority. I am not saying this because I was in power. We might have been left behind in terms of seats but we got more votes than the Congress in the state. If Assembly election results are extrapolated on Lok Sabha seats, we are ahead in 17.

There is talk that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has suggested at least 16 MPs not be fielded in the upcoming elections because of the public resentment against them. How many of the candidates will be new faces?
 

I don’t have any such information. All these things will be considered by the state units and the election committee. It is the party management’s decision that new leadership should emerge gradually.

How much did the Vyapam, sand, e-tendering and MP Public Service Commission (MPPSC) scandal influence public perception during assembly elections? The current government is keen on setting an inquiry on the scams. Don’t you think this will influence the Lok Sabha elections in the state?
 

The Vyapam scam took place before 2013. We won with a huge majority post that. There will be problems in such a large system, and I am not denying that. But we acted if there was even a hint of a scandal. I initiated inquiry into the scam. Later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Special Investigation Team (SIT), High Court, Supreme Court all examined it. The conclusion was that action should be taken against the guilty,all other allegations were proved false.

In the last six months in Madhya Pradesh, the number of unemployed has increased by more than 6 lakh and total number has crossed the figure of 30 lakhs, what do you have to say about this?
 

Madhya Pradesh is a state that has implemented schemes like Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana, Mukhyamantri Aarthik Kalyan Yojana. The Mudra Yojana was also created to support unemployed people at the central level. Last year, we gave employment to 5 lakh people and this time our goal was to target 7.5 lakh people for self-employment. Extensive work on skill development was done when I was Chief Minister. Everywhere a new generation joins the workforce and needs work. It is not possible for everyone to get a government job.

MP continues to be among the states with the highest number of farmer suicides cases annually. Organisations affiliated to your party have also joined the state's farmer’s movement. Why has the situation not been controlled?
 

The cases of farmer suicide aren’t the highest in Madhya Pradesh. However, it surely is unfortunate and disgraceful for the state if even a single farmer commits suicide. This is not a matter of politics. But what we have done for the farmers has not been replicated elsewhere in the country. Farmer’s production doubled during the last five years. In Mandsaur, where farmer’s movement took place, the BJP won seven seats and only one seat was lost. We also won the seat where there was an unfortunate incident of firing during the farmer’s movement. Certainly, the promise of loan waiver got the Congress more votes. But there was no such thing like farmer dissatisfaction during our regime because if this  had existed we would not have won a seat there.

Could the waiver of farmers' debt and electricity bill announced by the Congress Party prove a master stroke in the Lok Sabha elections too?
 

We believe that development and public welfare is must. We started a scheme like Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana and bonus scheme. My motive was to give farmers beneficial value of their crops if they aren’t getting the right rate. If the Congress implements what they announced, it will be good. However, not a single farmer has got the money in their accounts till now. At least Rs 50,000 crore is needed for debt waiver and only Rs 5,000 crore has been allocated in the budget. My government gave Rs 5,200 crore in farmers account under the crop insurance scheme. Debt cannot be waived by issuing orders alone. The Congress said if debt waiver will not be done in 10 days, the Chief Minister will be replaced. Now 60 days have passed, so at least six chief ministers should have been replaced.

The main issue in the Lok Sabha elections is: who will lead the country? India's credibility has increased internationally due to the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The whole country is standing behind Modi ji.
 

Your party people say if Modi comes back, the Congress will lose MP….
 

We know that the BJP has a majority. We were not defeated by the Congress. They did not have a majority. Their government is running on support. There is a huge contradiction. We will not destabilise any government. But if a government loses majority on its own, what can we do?
 

In such a situation, will you lead the state government?
 

This topic is currently hypothetical. We want the government to continue working and not any instability. But if such a question arises, we would like to have a fresh election. What is to be gained by running an unsteady government?
 

So second line leaders can get a chance to lead the state?
 

There is no shortage of talented people in the party. I do not want to raise any controversy by  naming anyone. We will sit together to consider this and whoever is chosen to lead us will get my complete support.
 

Does it mean that you want a role in the Centre? Can you contest Lok Sabha elections from Vidisha again because Sushma Swaraj has refused to contest?
 

No, whatever the BJP says, I will follow. Shahji has told me that I have to give three days a week to expand BJP's work in the state and one day for the rest of the country. In our party, no person decides anything on their own. The election committee will decide everything. We do not think about ourselves. The party considers what is right for everyone.