‘Mama vs Chacha’? How BJP found itself in middle of Madhya Pradesh tussle

A protest that began over the demolition of tribal families’ homes in Sehore district is now heading towards Madhya Pradesh’s capital, piling pressure on Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s government and bringing into focus the political implications of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s public intervention against officials of his own party’s government.

After five days of a sit-in at Kosmi village, which falls under the Budhni Assembly seat which Chouhan represented for years, failed to produce a resolution, tribal residents began a march towards Bhopal on Thursday, seeking a meeting with Yadav to present their land documents and demand compensation, rehabilitation and action against the officials responsible for the demolition.

Organisers estimate that around 5,000 people could join the march, with the number potentially rising to 10,000 as residents of other villages join along the route.

A demonstration is planned in Bhopal on October 17. Women, children, young people and elderly residents from more than 35 villages are participating in the mobilisation, according to people associated with the protest. The demonstrators say they want to place their claims directly before the Chief Minister after talks with the local administration failed.

“We want the Chief Minister to take cognisance of the injustice done by the forest department to Adivasi families. On October 11, the houses of 12 families were demolished, leaving them homeless. We elected this government and we hope the Chief Minister will listen to us and ensure justice,” said Ramesh Barela, an Adivasi leader participating in the march to Bhopal.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the destruction of the families’ homes as the crushing of years of hard work by poor tribal farmers. (Express Photo)

What officials say

The Forest Department and Madhya Pradesh Van Vikas Nigam said the action was taken to remove encroachments on forest land, where a plantation had been established in 2021. The affected families, however, say they have lived on and cultivated the land for generations and are seeking compensation for the loss of their homes, crops and belongings, recognition of their land claims and action against officials.

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Days before the march Chouhan publicly reprimanded the BJP administration in the state and accused officials of “committing an extreme act of injustice,” questioning why “families who had voted for the BJP were being targeted”.

Chouhan’s son, Kartikeya Singh Chouhan, also visited Kosmi on October 13, met the affected families and sat down to eat with them. Kartikeya’s involvement has ensured that the protest continues to receive attention even when his father is away.

Catch-22 for Yadav

Chouhan’s intervention has forced Yadav to respond to families’ demands as well as to criticism from a senior leader of his own party who served as Chief Minister for nearly two decades across three terms.

For the Yadav government, the political sensitivity lies in the fact that the criticism is coming from within the BJP. Chouhan has not directly accused Yadav of ordering the demolition; instead, he has alleged that officials acted in a manner that could “damage the Chief Minister’s reputation”. Nevertheless, his demand for action against those officials has made the state government’s handling of the matter a test of how quickly it can address grievances raised by a prominent party colleague and the affected tribal families.

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Yadav has said he has sought a report from his administration and ordered the matter to be examined. Responding to questions about Chouhan’s criticism, he said, “Our senior leader has raised an issue, and we will get the matter investigated. Everything will be clear after that. Doodh ka doodh, aur paani ka paani hojayega (truth would be established and the facts separated from allegations).

Late on Thursday, a delegation led by Chouhan, which included members of the tribal community, met the CM at his residence. Yadav assured the delegation that the matter was being investigated thoroughly and “with utmost seriousness”. The CM said justice would be ensured for all and a practical solution would be worked out through mutual dialogue.

Internal fissures on display

The Kosmi protest has brought into focus a broader discontent among sections of the BJP legislators and supporters, according to BJP party functionaries.

Some say a section of leaders associated with Chouhan feels increasingly marginalised under the present administration, “particularly when it comes to getting routine administrative work done in their constituencies”.

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“This was ongoing for some time. The biggest reason this blew up in public was because Yadav has been reversing many of Shivraj’s decisions which is not sitting well with the Union minister’s supporters,” said a senior party leader.

These leaders point to complaints from “some sitting and former ministers and senior MLAs that local officials do not respond to their requests with the same urgency as before”.

Some leaders who were once part of the government also feel “excluded from official functions and public events, or believe they are not accorded the respect they previously received”, sources said.

BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai, however, maintained that there was “no dispute within the party”.

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Chouhan’s public interventions have not been restricted to Kosmi. In July, he questioned the state government’s handling of moong procurement after farmers complained of delays.

In June 2025, he intervened over action against tribal residents in the Khivni Wildlife Sanctuary area, following which the divisional forest officer in Sehore was transferred.