BJP works for welfare of people while Congress treats them as 'vote bank': Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Budhni (MP): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said his party BJP works for the welfare of people by framing schemes for them, while the Congress has nothing to do with development and treats citizens just as a "vote bank".

Citing an example, Chouhan said "The Madhya Pradesh government sends every month Rs 1,250 into bank accounts of nearly 1.25 crore women covered under the Ladli Behna Yojana."

"The BJP works by framing schemes for the welfare of people, while the Congress has nothing to do with development and treats people merely as a vote bank," the former CM noted while addressing a rally in the bypoll-bound Budhni assembly constituency in Sehore district, his home turf.

He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the central government is working on the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme to ensure that every woman earns at least Rs 10,000 per month.

Chouhan said under the PM Awas Yojana, the BJP-led government is giving guarantee to people to provide pucca (concrete) houses and appealed to voters to ensure the saffron party's landslide victory in the November 13 bypoll.

The BJP has fielded former Lok Sabha MP Ramakant Bhargava from the Budhni seat and his main rival is Congress candidate Rajkumar Patel.

Praising the BJP, Chouhan said it is a wonderful party which made an ordinary worker like him chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for several years.

Now, the party has given him a chance to serve the farmers of the country as the Union Agriculture Minister, he told the gathering.

The BJP stalwart said he has ensured development of Budhni, his former assembly seat, in all fronts including roads, power, water, schools and colleges.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, addressing the rally, slammed the Congress for not doing anything for the country while in power for 55 years post-Independence, but on the other hand the BJP government has opened its coffers for the welfare of poor, youths, women and farmers.

Yadav said development started taking place in the state after 2003, when the BJP came to power, and Madhya Pradesh is now counted among leading states in the country.

The chief minister criticised the Congress for not taking part in the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at the grand temple in Ayodhya in January this year.

"Now, when the state decided to celebrate Govardhan Puja (dedicated to Lord Krishna), the Congress started opposing it," he noted.

The Budhni segment fell vacant after sitting MLA Chouhan resigned from his traditional seat following his election to the Lok Sabha from Vidisha. Chouhan has represented Budhni in the assembly multiple times as the BJP MLA.

Congress candidate Patel, who was victorious from Budhni in 1993, had contested unsuccessfully against Chouhan in 2006. From 2006 to 2023, the voters of Budhni steadfastly remained loyal to Chouhan, who first won from the seat way back in 1990.

The Budhni bypoll's result will be declared on November 23.