After completing the first phase of the ‘Janashirwad Yatra’ on a rath (chariot) designed by eminent automobile designer Dilip Chhabaria, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday embarked on the second phase of his campaign from Maihar in the Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh.
The Janashirwad Yatra marked the official launch of the poll campaign by the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. The yatra, which will cover 230 assembly constituencies, will be completed in 52 days during the next two months. Chouhan will address 4,515 public meetings and cover over 11,000km during this period. The first phase was flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah from the Ujjain Shiva-Mahakal temple. The second phase started on Wednesday from the Goddess Durga temple in Maihar, Satna district.
The Janashirwad Yatra is the third such campaign by Chouhan during his time as chief minister. Chouhan conducted a similar yatra before the assembly polls of 2008 and 2013 in which the BJP successfully retained power.
The yatra is scheduled in such a manner that Chouhan spends two days in a region and then returns to Bhopal to restart the yatra after a gap of one day in another region. Thus, out of seven days in a week, the chief minister will spend two days in Bhopal and the remainder in the field.
BJP spokesperson Lokendra Parasar said, “Wednesday's yatra will start with a public meeting and will visit some 50 places in Satna district in 11 hours.” Chouhan's wife, Sadhna, regularly accompanies her husband, taking care of his personal needs. She keeps a watch on the yatra from the 10-seater vehicle, which is called Janashirwad Rath.
The state-of-the-art rath, which costs Rs 1.20 crore, is a Bharat Benz bus that has been fitted with 10 luxury seats and a small office for Chouhan. It is equipped with a hydraulic platform, which emerges from the roof. Chouhan addresses the waiting crowds from the platform.
The interior of the rath has two sections with close-circuit TV cameras enabled with Android-based smart televisions and Wi-Fi connectivity. A small restroom, two reclining chairs, a mini-sofa and modern kitchen with mini-fridge and microwave oven and several other amenities are part of the rath. It is also equipped with LED lights and a public-address system.
The yatra has been planned such that Chouhan speaks to the local people about the development works undertaken in the area and major demands of the public. He keeps a detailed report of every area and asks people whether his old promises have been fulfilled. Apart from the chief minister's office, the BJP has assigned work to seven of its frontal organisations to collect feedback about government schemes.
On Wednesday, Chouhan will visit the four assembly constituencies of Ramnagar, Amarpatan, Rampur Baghelan and Satna. On Thursday, Chouhan will reach Birsinghpur in Umaria district, where he will lay the foundation of a hospital and a college building. He is also scheduled to visit Raigaon and Uchehera assembly areas.
Earlier beginning his yatra on July 14 from Mahakaal temple in Ujjain, Chouhan said, “This yatra is to seek public blessings for the work done during the past regime.’’ The BJP has been overjoyed by the immense response it got during the first phase of the yatra, where thousands of people came out to welcome Chouhan despite Congress’s claim that the yatra would be a failure as the chief minister was very unpopular.
Meanwhile, the Congress, which has been bewildered by the response to the Janashirwad Yatra, has decided to respond by taking out a 'Janjagran Yatra' from Ujjain on Wednesday. The yatra is being led by Jitu Patwari, one of the four working president of the Congress.