Narendra Modi's appeal to Madhya Pradesh for 'direct support' signals no CM face

New Delhi, October 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday penned an emotional letter to the voters of the election-bound Madhya Pradesh, seeking their direct support for him.

The letter unveiled on X bears a picture featuring the PM in the centre and all state leaders, including CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, ministers Narendra Tomar, Prahlad Patel, Jyotiraditya Scindia, state chief VD Sharma and others, around him.

This is the first public signal from the BJP that it is contesting the November 17 Madhya Pradesh election under Modi’s leadership with no CM face being projected.

“I have always had an affectionate bond with the people of Madhya Pradesh because of which you ensured a massive mandate for the BJP by showering your love on me in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. I am sure you will again send me your direct support in the upcoming MP election and again help install a double-engine BJP government here,” Modi wrote in his letter.

The PM praised Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for “tireless efforts to expand the state’s infrastructure over 20 years”, but urged people to vote in his (PM’s) name.

Hailing the BJP government for MP’s transition from a “BIMARU” state to a state with top ten economies in the country, the PM said, “Because of the tireless striving of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the BJP government in the state for 10 years, we now have roads covering 5 lakh km; over 16% economic growth rate, 65 lakh houses with direct drinking water supply, and 28000 MW power generation capacity.”

Modi said the BJP-ruled MP had given a model to the country for farmer and women welfare.

“Because of the efforts of the BJP government, 1.36 crore people in Madhya Pradesh have come out of poverty,” the PM said, accusing the erstwhile UPA government at the Centre of stepmotherly treatment with the state. The state’s progress picked up pace when the BJP government assumed power at the Centre, he added.