MP: BJP picks Mohan Yadav as new CM

Bhopal: Ending days of suspense, the BJP on Monday picked Mohan Yadav, a three-time MLA from temple town Ujjain as the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, once again reposing its faith in the numerically strong Other Backward Classes (OBC) and denying stalwart Shivraj Singh Chouhan a record fifth term in office.

More than a week after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s resounding victory in the assembly polls, the ruling outfit's legislature wing elected Yadav (58), a minister in the Chouhan government and a prominent OBC leader, as its leader at a meeting held here in the presence of central observers, paving the way for him to take over as the next CM.

The state will also have two deputy chief ministers -- Rajendra Shukla and Jagdish Devda -- outgoing chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan posted on X. Senior BJP leader and MLA Narendra Singh Tomar, who was among contenders for the CM's post, will be the new assembly speaker, Chouhan said.

Yadav, who was not seen as among contenders for the CM post, is considered to be close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and hails from the OBC community, which accounts for more than 48 per cent of the state's population. (PTI)