Chouhan begins fast against central government Sunday

BHOPAL - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will start an indefinite fast here from Sunday against the central government, demanding a relief package for farmers, a party leader said.

“The chief minister is going to sit on fast as he had promised to over one lakh farmers that he would fight for their cause,” state BJP chief Prabhat Jha told reporters Saturday.

It would be the first time that a Madhya Pradesh chief minister would sit on fast against the union government. Chouhan will also run his secretariat from the fast venue in Dassehra Ground.

On Feb 10, Chouhan wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking changes in the central government’s policy with regard to Madhya Pradesh.

Chouhan’s letter said he had decided to undertake the fast to draw the prime minister’s attention to issues like relief package for farmers, supply of coal to the state and allocation of foodgrains for below poverty line families.