In a surprising move ahead of the urban body elections in Chhattisgarh, the BJP has announced Jeevadhan Chauhan, a tea seller by profession, as its candidate for the mayoral position in the Raigarh Municipal Corporation. The position is reserved for Scheduled Castes (Unreserved), and Chauhan’s nomination has drawn parallels to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s journey from a tea seller to a political leader.
The announcement was made by BJP leader and Chhattisgarh Finance Minister OP Choudhary on Sunday, January 26, via his official social media account.
Jeevadhan Chauhan, a resident of Railway Colony in Raigarh, has been a long-time member of the BJP, joining the party in 1996. Over the years, he has steadily climbed the ranks, starting as a ward president in 1998 and holding various leadership roles, including city minister (2005), city vice-president (2006), city general secretary (2008), and city president (2011). From 2023 to 2024, he also served as the state minister for the BJP’s Scheduled Castes Front and as a member of the district working committee.
Chauhan’s journey from humble beginnings to a significant political contender reflects his dedication to the party. Minister OP Choudhary highlighted this in a tweet, saying, “Shri Jivardhan Chauhan, a tea seller and a grassroots worker who has been working for the party for 29 years, was made the Raigarh mayor candidate by the state BJP.”
Choudhary praised Chauhan’s perseverance, calling his story an inspiration and a testament to the BJP’s commitment to recognizing and empowering grassroots workers.