Following in the footsteps of over a dozen senior leaders from the state, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has formally introduced his 22-year-old son, Kartikeya, into state politics.
Kartikeya, a final-year law student, recently made a whirlwind tour of Kolaras and Mungaoli Assembly constituencies to address rallies of the Kirar-Dhakad community.
Byelections are due next month in Kolaras and Mungaoli, which fall under the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Chouhan chose his son to address the rallies of the Kirar-Dhakad community. Chouhan is himself a Kirar and the region has some 18 per cent voters from this community.
The decision to push Kartikeya in the electioneering of bypolls, which has become very prestigious as they are the last elections before the 2018 Assembly polls, is being seen as a “warm-up exercise to the run-up of Assembly polls this year,” said a political analyst.
Kartikeya, a student of the Symbiosis Law School, was recently in the news for launching a state-of-the-art dairy project with a loan of Rs 6 crore and a high-profile advertisement campaign to introduce the Sudhamrit brand of milk in the state.
A few months back, Kartikeya made news when he delivered the welcome address on the 100th day of official Narmada Yatra taken out by his father. Kartikeya chose his ancestral village of Jait to speak publicly.
After hearing his son speak in the presence of several cabinet ministers, an overwhelmed Chouhan later told media that he never knew that his son is such a talented speaker.
Chouhan was born in the village of Jait in Sehore district on the banks of river Narmada. His house is so close to the river that it often used to get flooded during rainy season from the river. The decision to introduce his son in his village in the presence of thousands of people is another 'son rise' in the state where the Congress' state president and leader of opposition are both sons of former chief ministers.
Earlier, Kartikeya had campaigned for his father during 2013 Assembly polls in a low-key manner. He never misses any public event at his father’s constituency whenever he is not attending college. The launch of the son in the high-profile Narmada Yatra is keenly watched by political circles in the BJP, which has been at the forefront of opposing dynasty politics.
Born on May 23, 1994, Kartikeya will turn 25 in May 2019 when the Lok Sabha polls will be due.
Kartikeya is being prepared to become Chouhan’s successor for the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat, which he left in 2005 to become chief minister.
Interestingly, both the BJP and Chouhan have been opposed to dynastic politics in the country.
Last Sunday, Kartikeya, while addressing his community brethren, attacked Jyotiraditya Scindia, saying, “The Congress MP says that he is from a ruling family. Is there anything wrong in coming from a backward class, in being a farmer’s son? Are we in a democracy or monarchy?”
Chouhan used to criticise Congress president Rahul Gandhi for 'dynasty politics' but with his son joining politics, the journey has come full circle, says Pankaj Chaturvedi, Congress spokesman. He said, “BJP has no business accusing the Congress as most of their leaders in the state are either children of senior leaders or relatives.”
In the twin states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, children of dozens of senior leaders and chief ministers are active in politics. Sons and daughters of former chief ministers Shyamacharan Shukla, Arjun Singh, Motilal Vora, Shubash Yadav (deputy CM), Ajit Jogi and Digvijaya Singh, (all Congress CMs), and Sunderlal Patwa, Kailash Joshi and Babulal Gour (all BJP CMs) are active in politics, holding posts of MLAs and ministers.
