Union minister questions action against BJP voters in Sehore; CM Mohan Yadav orders inquiry into the demolition of 12 houses
Bhopal, October 15: Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s public criticism of the demolition of 12 tribal homes in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district has triggered speculation about differences between him and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The forest department and district administration demolished the houses of Barela tribal families in Kosmi village, located in the Budhni assembly constituency, on Sunday. Chouhan represented Budhni for two decades as chief minister.
Questioning the action, Chouhan said it was unfair to target people who had voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He argued that their votes had contributed to the party’s victory and Yadav’s elevation to the chief minister’s post. Yadav ordered an inquiry into the incident a day later.
The episode has revived questions about unity within the BJP’s Madhya Pradesh leadership. A senior party leader reportedly attributed the tensions to differences over decisions taken by the previous government and their subsequent reversal.
The controversy also recalls a similar incident in June 2025, when forest officials demolished around 50 houses near the Kheoni Wildlife Sanctuary in Sehore. Chouhan had opposed the action and intervened on behalf of tribal residents. The state government subsequently transferred the divisional forest officer and restricted such action during the monsoon.
The latest confrontation has drawn attention to the relationship between the former and incumbent chief ministers, although no formal split within the party has been announced.
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