There have been news in the media that BJP higher ups have advised all the chief ministers of the party to adopt the Modi formula or Gujarat formula to ensure success in the forthcoming elections. But what turned out was that it was just a way of praising Gujarat CM Narendra Modi by the BJP high command. As for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he is firmly in saddle and through his farsighted policies and sustained efforts on all fronts, has himself become a model to be emulated by other CMs of BJP ruled state.

After the Jan 27 BJP national executive meeting at New Delhi and national council meeting on January 28 and 29, Shivraj has emerged even stronger than before. In fact, the BJP high command knows fully well that there are a lot of differences between the situations and circumstances that prevail in Gujarat and MP and therefore, a leader like Shivraj should be fully backed if the party wants to return to power in the State.

If Modi is an emblem of development and progress in Gujarat, so is Shivraj Singh Chouhan in MP. During his short, two-year rule, Singh and his ministerial team has started and accomplished a plethora of development works. Rapid progress is being made in the works of all the departments and MP is galloping towards industrial revolution in the wake of CM's successful efforts to attract major industrial houses of the country.

Meanwhile, according to media reports, many BJP stalwarts, ministers and corporation chiefs have also said with bated breath that Modi model would not work in MP. State BJP president Narendra Tomar has said that MP is a poor state. The state govt under Chouhan has chalked and implemented several welfare schemes for the poor and the downtrodden. 'We would go to the electorate on this plank, he added. State BJP vice president Anil Dave said that everyone has his own style of functioning. MPTDC chairman Dhruvnarain Singh avers that development is itself a model for success. The MP govt has already evolved a model for success in the election by winning people's hearts. You many call it MP Model or Shivraj Model. But what is imperative that all of us must work united to ensure development of the state as well party's victory, he added.

Member of Assembly Umashankar Gupta said that Shivraj Singh Chouhan is also winning the hearts of MP's people in the same way as Narendra Modi. Chouhan now stands for development and definitely this 'Shivraj Model' would work wonders at the hustings.

Though Shivraj had been overly actively right since he took over as CM of MP in 2005. But the last year turned out to be the culmination point of state govt's last four years' sustained efforts for rural development and their taking concrete shape. And this turning point has been brought by construction of over 16000 km roads, which have connected about 6,000 villages to the mainstream of development. In the 2007 alone, 4000 km long 875 roads were laid which benefited about 1500 villages. Those roads have connected these villages with the mainstream of development ushering in employment, education, health and other facilities apart from narrowing the difference in the lifestyle of rural and urban areas due to improved socio-economic scenario of villages.

MP has proved itself better than other states in the successful implementation of several thousands crores of rupees worth ambitious projects of the Union govt for rural development. MP stood first in getting maximum funds and their proper utilisation under PM Rural Roads Scheme and NREGS. The state has maintained its lead over other states on the strength of successful implementation of other projects and schemes including Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana, Mid-day Meal Scheme, Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, Samagra Swachhata Abhiyan, and others. Right since the beginning of NREGS in the year 2006, MP has been in the forefront in its implementation. The scheme is under implementation in 31 districts where Job Cards have been provided to 69.21 lakh families. So far Rs 950 crore has been spent under this scheme. Under Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana also 90 lakh mandays were generated with the expenditure of Rs 100 crore.

Under Indira Awas Yojana the state government has achieved 121% target by constructing 208213 houses against the target of 1,71,038 houses while during the next financial year there is plan to construct 107787 houses with a cost of Rs 269 cr.

Under World Bank-sponsored MP Zila Gharibi Unmoolan Pariyojana, 40,181 self-help groups were formed during the last four years and 2,01,179 persons were benefited. In all, Rs 368 crore was spent under the scheme and total income of villages under the scheme went up by 65 percent. In the first phase of MP Rural Livelihood Scheme, 51,000 families were provided various means of livelihood against the target of 45 thousand families.