With eyes on assembly polls, BJP to hold state-wide 'Vikas Yatra' events in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh has decided to organise 'Vikas Yatra' events across the state in February next year, in which elected representatives of the party will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of various development projects, a minister has said. This was decided on Friday during a meeting of the BJP's state unit and ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled by the end of 2023. The BJP has been in power in the state for almost 20 years. In the 230-member MP Assembly, the BJP has 127 members and opposition Congress 96. "Vikas Yatras will be organised between February 1 and 15 next year. Under this programme, elected representatives of the BJP will lay the foundation stone of development projects and inaugurate the completed ones," MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra told reporters on Friday at the BJP's state headquarters. 

"There was a meaningful discussion between the government and the (party) organisation. It has been decided that all the ministers will take ground information by meeting and interacting with the district and divisional-level workers of the party," Mishra, a BJP leader who is also the state government's spokesperson, said.

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He said ministers have been told during the meeting that whenever they go to districts under their charge, they should conduct surprise inspections in settlements of poor and hostels meant for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe category students and interact with them. From January 4, the state government will start the Mukhyamantri Bhu-Adhikar Awas Yojana, a scheme to provide land rights for housing in rural areas, he added. 

In the meeting, the ministers informed the party leaders about the schemes and works being carried out in the districts from where they hail, Mishra said. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh P Muralidhar Rao, BJP state president VD Sharma and other organisation leaders and ministers.