Bhopal, Nov 11 — Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday paid tributes to former Chief Minister Sunderlal Patwa on his birth anniversary, recalling his contribution to strengthening the BJP in the state and his role in administration and development.
Yadav said he had a personal association with Patwa, who also served as the state BJP president, and described him as a skilled organisational leader whose life continued to inspire generations.
“He led the organisation with complete dedication and commitment. He was extremely simple, down-to-earth and jovial, while his administrative decisions and working style gave him a distinct identity,” Yadav said in a statement.
Highlighting Patwa's contribution to Bhopal's infrastructure, the Chief Minister said he played an important role in giving former minister Babulal Gaur a free hand in the construction of VIP Road.
The contributions of Patwa and Gaur were significant in the development of the prominent road, he added.
Yadav said his government would continue to follow the path of public service and development shown by the former Chief Minister.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also paid tributes to Patwa, describing him as his mentor and a source of inspiration.
In a message, Chouhan recalled Patwa's contribution to establishing the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and strengthening the BJP in Madhya Pradesh.
He said Patwa had travelled extensively across the undivided state on foot and connected with people through padyatras. “The BJP's expansive presence today owes a great deal to the invaluable contribution of Patwa ji,” Chouhan said, adding that he considered himself fortunate to have worked under Patwa's guidance.
Born on November 11, 1924, Patwa began his political association with the RSS in 1942 and served as a Sangh pracharak from 1947 to 1951. He was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly in 1957 and served as Chief Minister twice, from January 20 to February 17, 1980, and from March 5, 1990, to December 15, 1992.
He also served as state BJP president in 1986 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhindwara in 1997 and Hoshangabad in 1999, and served as a Union minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2017.