MP: 'Yadav Was Obedient Since College Days,' Says Retired Professor

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Chief minister-designate Mohan Yadav was an obedient student, recalled Dr Sheel Chandra Kailashi, retired professor of zoology at Madhav Science College. Yadav was a student of Madhav Science College.

“We met at a religious place at Neelganga a couple of months ago. Yadav not only recognised me from far away, but also touched my feet to take blessings. Moreover, in his speech, he apprised the people that I had guided him to contest election during the college time,” Dr Kailashi said. “We should hope that all the energy, experience he possesses would benefit MP and Ujjain,” Dr Kailashi told Free Press.

An OBC leader and three-time MLA, Yadav started his political career when he was a student and rose to become higher education minister and announced to make Hindu epic ‘Ramcharitmanas’ as an optional subject in colleges in 2021. Considered to be close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), he is seen as a vocal Hindutva leader.

In 2021, Yadav had announced to include the lessons of Hindu epic ‘Ramcharitmanas’ as an elective (optional) course under the philosophy subject for first-year students of graduation (BA). He had also moved a proposal to rename the Hindi nomenclature of the vice-chancellor's post in state universities from ‘Kulpati’ to ‘Kulguru’.

Congress’s Prakash Chandra Sethi, who became CM in 1972, was a student of Madhav Arts and Commerce College.

Tomar was Yadav’s mentor: Ex-UMC speaker

Chief minister-elect Mohan Yadav began his political career as joint secretary of Madhav Science College, Ujjain in 1982 and was later elected as its president in 1984.

Yadav holds a doctorate (PhD) besides LLB and MBA. Yadav has been associated with the RSS since his young days and from 1993 to 1995, he was its functionary in Ujjain, said former Ujjain Municipal Corporation speaker Prakash Chittoda.

“During his college time, I took him to ABVP leader Shaligram Tomar, who guided him to progress further,” Chittoda said. “We were in a public programme in Ujjain on Sunday, but neither he nor I were expecting that he would become the CM,” he said.

The top BJP leadership gave him this opportunity keeping in mind promoting future leadership, Chittoda opined.