MP: BJP minister scotches rumours of Shivraj Singh Chouhan moving to Centre

A senior member of Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Wedneday said the BJP had already decided that next Assembly elections would be contested under the leadership of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. "The party has already decided to contest the elections in 2018 under the leadership of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh," said Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra.

He was replying to a question about the speculation that Chouhan could be elevated to the Union Cabinet. "This is just Holi gossip...there is no truth to this speculation," Mishra said.

Chouhan had refused to comment on the rumours when asked by the reporters yesterday.

On Congress's demand that next month's by-polls to Ater and Bandhavgarh Assembly seats be held through ballot paper and not EVMs, Mishra said Congress had no problem with EVMs when it won elections.

"Congress didn't see any harm in use of EVMs when it won in Jhabua but gets alarmed when BJP wins elsewhere. It doesn't see any harm using EVMs in Bihar but raises objections when BJP wins in Uttar Pradesh," the minister said.