Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday urged people to give ‘ashirwad’ (blessings) to the ruling BJP so that it wins more than 150 seats in the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and form a "double-engine" government for ensuring the state’s development.?

Elections to the 230-member MP assembly are due by November.?

After flagging off the BJP’s ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’, a mass outreach programme, in Mandla district earlier, Shah was to reach Sheopur to launch another yatra. But the helicopter that was supposed to carry him could not take off from Gwalior due to sudden rains.

Shah then addressed those gathered in Sheopur, including Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Ashwini Vaishnaw, via mobile phone.??? ?

A new era of development has begun in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Madhya Pradesh has transformed from BIMARU (laggard) state to a ‘bemisal’ (unmatched) under the stewardship of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he said. ?

Shah highlighted steps taken by the Modi government for citizens including the availability of food grains, treatment in hospitals and housing, asserting that it is the country’s ‘Amrit Kaal’.

He urged the people to bless the BJP's yatra so that the party wins over 150 seats in the MP polls and forms a "double-engine" government, a reference to the same party ruling the Centre and state, to ensure development.?

The BJP is taking out 'Jan Ashirwad Yatras' from five different places in MP to connect with voters ahead of polls. These yatras will culminate on September 25 in Bhopal with a 'Karyakarta Mahakumbh' (mega gathering of workers). PM Modi is expected to address BJP workers there.

Chouhan and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia who were with Shah also addressed the gathering in Sheopur via mobile phone.

Scindia hit out at former CM Kamal Nath and alleged that his Congress government was the most corrupt government of the state. The government under Nath fell in 2020 after Scindia and MLAs backing him switched over to the BJP.?

It had been promised ahead of the 2018 assembly polls that if the new government did not waive farm loans within 10 days, the CM would be replaced, said Scindia. However, neither loans were waived nor the CM was changed, said the BJP leader.?

“But when they challenged me, I pulled down the corrupt government to the ground,” he said.

Scindia highlighted developments taken place during the current regime including the setting up of a government medical college with an estimated cost of over Rs 300 crore and the sanctioning of a dam worth more than Rs 500 crore.

Addressing those present for the launch of the yatra in Sheopur, which was part of his Morena constituency, Union minister Tomar thanked railway minister Vaishnaw for sanctioning the Sheopur-Kota railway line and termed it a major achievement for the people of the region.

-With PTI Input