BHOPAL: Taking a dig at Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday that applying “tripund” on the forehead does not fetch votes. One has to devote himself to service of people for years to win their confidence and vote, he said while addressing a public meeting during the Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Sironj.“Congress leaders are making round of temples and mosques as the elections have arrived. We don’t have any problem to their visiting religious places. You can go anywhere, but we just wish to tell you tripund lagane se vote nahin milte, eske liye janta ki salo sal seva karna padti hai”, he said. One of the key accused in Vyapam scam and former minister Laxmikant Sharma also shared dais with the chief minister in his hometown, Sironj.Before his address, Chouhan offered prayers to kanyas (small girls) dressed as Goddesses sitting on the dais.He said Congress starts remembering about farmers only at the time of elections and what he often says about the Congress president “Rahul Baba ko yeh tak nahin pata ki pyaj jamin ke ander hoti hai ya upar” (Rahul Baba doesn’t know whether onions are dug from beneath the surface or plucked from the plant).Shivraj hails women empowerment plansChouhan said that irrigation capacity at the time when erstwhile Digvijaya Singh government left power was 7 lakh hectares, which has now risen to 40 lakh hectares. In the next five years, the figure would touch 80 lakh hectares.Referring to steps taken by his government for womenempowerment, chief minister said that his government has reserved 35% seats in police force for women. ‘When women will have stick and pistol in hands, they will rein in gundas and mawalis themselves,” he said. Singh said that 50% posts of teachers have also been reserved for women. “If a woman is educated, empowered, she improves the lives of two families”, the chief minister said.He said that people of Sironj had chosen a representative in the previous state assembly election, who didn’t do anything for them. He assured that if the BJP was given a chance in this election, he would personally see to it that prosperity reaches every home in the constituency.Chouhan also participated in a roadshow at Sironj. Atop an open Gypsi, he received greetings from people who were lined up on both sides of the roads and roofs of their houses. Local MP , Laxmi Narayan Yadav accompanied him on the vehicle while former minister Laxmikant Sharma followed them on foot with his supporters.He also addressed a public meeting at Kurwai during the day.

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