In a surprising move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Monday that Mohan Yadav, an MLA from Ujjain South, will be the next Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Yadav will replace Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who served four terms as the Chief Minister and led the party to a landslide victory in the recent assembly elections.

Yadav, 58, is a veteran leader of the BJP and has been associated with the party since its inception. He was a close aide of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and has held various positions in the party organisation. He is also known for his work in the education sector and runs several schools and colleges in Ujjain.

Yadav’s elevation to the top post came as a shock to many, as he was not among the frontrunners for the CM candidature. The BJP had not declared its CM face before the elections and had contested under the collective leadership of Chouhan, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Narottam Mishra, VD Sharma, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Prahlad Patel and others.

The decision to appoint Yadav as the CM was taken by the BJP’s central leadership after consulting the newly elected MLAs and the state unit. According to sources, the party wanted to bring in a fresh face and a new generation of leadership in Madhya Pradesh, while also rewarding Yadav for his loyalty and contribution to the party.

Yadav will be sworn in as the CM on Tuesday at a ceremony in Bhopal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and other senior leaders are expected to attend. Yadav will also announce his cabinet, which is likely to include a mix of old and new faces.

Yadav’s main challenges as the CM will be to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, revive the economy, implement the farm laws, fulfil the promises made in the BJP’s manifesto, and maintain the party’s popularity and unity in the state. He will also have to balance the aspirations and expectations of various factions and leaders within the party, especially Chouhan and Scindia, who have a strong base and influence in the state.

Yadav’s appointment as the CM has been welcomed by the BJP workers and supporters, who see him as a humble, honest and hardworking leader. He has also received congratulatory messages from the opposition leaders, including former CM Kamal Nath and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Yadav has thanked the party leadership and the people of Madhya Pradesh for giving him the opportunity and has vowed to work for the development and welfare of the state.