Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as global a leader who has ensured that the world cannot function without India.
“Today, wherever you go in the world, Modi ji has enhanced India’s honour, respect and pride to such a level that the world cannot function without India today. Mr. Modi isn’t just India’s leader, he is a global leader,” said Mr. Chouhan at a seminar in Indore on the recently released book Modi@20: Dreams Meeting Delivery.
Mr. Chouhan was comparing India’s global image under Mr. Modi with that under Dr. Manmohan Singh of the Congress.
Reacting to the remark, the Congress said that the Chief Minister was making such a statement because there was a buzz around the leadership change in the State and Mr. Chouhan wanted to keep the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in good humour.
“The buzz is CM Shivraj ji’s chair is feeling the tremors of an earthquake. The intensity of the earthquake is 5.6, while the epicentre of the earthquake is said to be the PM residence in Delhi. It is precisely why the CM is telling the PM that without PM Modi the world can't move,” tweeted Sangeeta Sharma, vice president, Media Department of MP Congress, in Hindi.
“What has Mr. Modi done to achieve such a distinction? Since 2014, inflation is skyrocketing, inflation is on the rise and national assets are being sold. Such statements only show that he is trying to flatter the PM," she said.
Ms. Sharma was referring to the rumours of a change of guard in Bhopal that have hit headlines from time to time over the last fortnight.
Recently, the party had also pointed out as an indicator of change the growing bonhomie between Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who had been in opposing camps when it came to cricket administration in the State, as an indicator of change. Back then, Mr. Scindia come down from the dais during an award function to take Mr. Vijayvargiya to the dais. Before that, the Union minister and his son Mahaaryaman had also paid a surprise visit to Mr. Vijayvargiya’s residence in Indore.
Two Cabinet ministers, both supporters of Mr. Scindia, expressing their displeasure over the administration had also been lapped up by the Opposition to claim that all was not well in the government and these were indeed signs of change.
