Bhopal: Ex- Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan did not visit Ashoknagar in his tenure of 13 years following a ‘popular belief ’ that whoever visits the place has to step down. Chouhan, who has stepped down from the post of Chief Minister, visited Ashoknagar on Thursday. Chouhan had gone there to address Vijay Sankalp Rally for Lok Sabha polls. Even during election campaign, Chouhan did not enter the boundaries of Ashoknagar.
It is said that as a Chief Minister Prakash Chandra Sethi visited Ashok Nagar in 1975 in a programme of Congress party. Sethi had to step down after some days. Similarly, as a Chief Minister Shyamacharan Shukla visited Ashoknagar in 1977 to inaugurate Tulsi Sarovar there but he also had to step down after some days.
Arjun Singh visited Ashok Nagar in 1985 as a Chief Minister but he was made governor of Punjab. Motilal Vohra too went there as a Chief Minister in 1988 in a government function but he also had to go after some time. The then Chief Minister Sunderlal Patwa in 1992 visited Ashoknagar in a programme of Jain community.
He had to step down after some days due to President’s rule. As a Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh also went to Ashoknagar in 2003 for election campaigning but he lost elections. The myth had prevented Chouhan from visiting Ashoknagar during his term as Chief Minister.
