Indore (Madhya Pradesh): An unexpected scene unfolded on Thursday at the National Soybean Research Institute (NSRI) when union minister of state (MoS) Savitri Thakur was made to wait outside a room where union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and minister Kailash Vijayvargiya were engaged in a closed-door discussion.
Thakur, who had arrived at the institute to meet Chouhan during his day-long visit to Indore, had to wait outside the room for nearly five minutes before being allowed in.
The incident, though brief, raised several eyebrows—especially given the stature of the leaders involved. The meeting between Chouhan and Vijayvargiya, both prominent figures in Madhya Pradesh politics, was already drawing political interpretations due to its exclusivity.
Chouhan was in Indore to take part in a programme focused on soybean farming, oilseed research, and dialogues with agriculturists, as part of the Centre’s Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.
While the event was primarily aimed at farmers, agricultural scientists, oil industry professionals, and academicians, several BJP leaders from the region also made their way to the venue to connect with the senior Union Minister.
MoS Savitri Thakur, too, reached the institute with the intention of greeting Chouhan. However, as she approached the room where Chouhan and Vijayvargiya were holding in-camera talks, security personnel posted outside politely stopped her, citing ongoing discussions.
Sources at the venue confirmed that Thakur waited for about five minutes outside before being granted entry.
While no official comment was issued, the brief but telling episode is being interpreted in various ways, given the ongoing undercurrents within the state BJP leadership.
