This Article is From Nov 22, 2013

Personal attacks a sign of Congress' desperation, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan's wife

Personal attacks a sign of Congress' desperation, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan's wife
Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh: Sadhna Singh, wife of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, looks like any other middle-class house wife in Madhya Pradesh. But in the heat of the political campaign, she has become target number one for the Congress as she is also the chief minister's political manager.

The Congress recently issued an advertisement, accusing the state's first family of being 'greedy' and of 'looting the state.' The move prompted Mrs Chouhan and the chief minister to send a defamation notice to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, threatening to sue for Rs. 10 crore if her party failed to retract the ads.

"I can't talk about that as lawyers are involved," she said in her first response to NDTV, but added that attacks on her were a sign of the Congress' desperation.

But this wasn't the only attack on Mrs Chouhan.

Congress leader Ajay Singh has also alleged that she had a note counting machine at home.

"These are all lies and we are just going to the people to fight it," Mrs Chouhan, who is in her forties, told NDTV.

The Congress has also alleged that the chief minister is not confident of a win, which is why he is fighting from two seats - Vidisha and Budhni - this time.

"Of course not. We will win both. He was an MP from here (Vidisha) and that's why people wanted him back," she says adding "if he wins both, it will be decided later which one he will retain."

The other constituency of Budhni is handled by her son, Kartikeya - a law student in Symbiosis - but she denied he was eyeing one seat, as speculated in some circles. "He's only 19," she said.

Madhya Pradesh votes for a new government next week and Mr Chouhan hopes to win a third straight term for his party, the BJP.
.