Row over Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son remark that ‘not even a brick will be laid if Congress wins Budhni even by mistake’

Controversy erupts as Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son warns no development if Congress wins, sparking criticism from Digvijaya Singh.

A controversy has erupted after Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's son, Kartikey, said during a public meeting in bypoll-bound Budhni that "not even a brick will be laid in any village" in case a Congress candidate wins the by-election.

A video of his purported statement went viral on social media, inviting criticism from Congress veteran and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh, who advised him to refrain from making such remarks, while Mr. Kartikey hit back at him for "not doing anything worthwhile" during his 10 years of chief ministership.

By-election will be held in the Budhni assembly seat in the state on November 13. It was necessitated after former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigned after his victory in the Lok Sabha elections from Vidisha constituency.

Addressing a meeting in Bherunda town in Budhni of Sehore district earlier this week, Kartikey Singh Chouhan said, "Why should we spoil our reputation by tampering with our polling? Don't we need to go to our chief minister to get the work done? Don't we not need to approach our respected Agriculture Minister to get the work done?

"Tell me sarpanch ji, how will you do the work? Answer me. If things go wrong (in results), then how shall we face the leaders and request them to get work done? Which road will you get constructed? Even if by mistake a Congress MLA wins, though it is not going to happen, but even by mistake it happens, then you all should understand that not even a brick will be laid in any village," he said.

Digvijaya Singh took to X to share Mr. Kartikey's video, and advised him to learn from his father and not speak such language.

"Kartikey, don't give such speeches at this stage. Learn from your father. In democracy, the government and the opposition together cooperate in building India. I was the Chief Minister for 10 years, but I never used such language. Your father is a witness to that," the Congress leader said.