The passing year would be remembered for two major developments — Shivraj Singh Chouhan led BJP to a thumping victory in the Assembly elections and a stampede near a temple that claimed more than 150 lives, besides several ministers from previous regime were in the news for wrong reasons.
Besides, in the major setback to the ruling BJP, former Finance Minister Raghavji faced sodomy allegations by his male servant. Following the controversy, he resigned from the office and later, the BJP terminated him from primary membership of the party. This year will go down in the history of Madhya Pradesh for BJP’s third successive win in Assembly polls since 2003. The BJP made a history in the State as no non-Congress Government had ever completed a full five-year term in the State.
Before the elections, a number of ministers of the previous Government courted controversy on several issues. Early this year, Kailash Vijayvargiya was at the centre of a controversy over his remark that women must not cross the ‘lakshman rekha’ to avoid unwanted consequences. later, the leader disassociated itself from his comment, which sparked an outrage, and asked him to withdraw the remark.
The passing year also witnessed sacking and reinstating of minister Kunwar Vijay Shah. He had set off a controversy saying the government will set up hostels for girls only if students and their parents give a written undertaking that they will take care of their security. The statement drew strong criticism from political parties and the National Commission for Women.
In April, the then Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah tendered his resignation after courting a major controversy over his alleged sexist remarks. He had allegedly also made a passing reference to Sadhna Singh, wife of the Chief Minister, during a speech. However, before the Assembly elections’ countdown commenced, Shah was again inducted in the cabinet.
But the most embarrassing of them all was the arrest of the then Finance Minister Raghavji on charges of sodomy. The 79-year-old leader was earlier forced to resign after his male servant filed a complaint with the police accusing him of sexual exploitation.