After Simhastha the Yatra has given another opportunity for nationwide projection of Chouhan. Narmada Yatra has aroused nationwide interest. Chouhan succeeded in involving many religious and spiritual leaders in the Yatra. They include Dalai Lama, Sri Sri Ravishanker, Baba Ramdev, Morarji Bapu etc.

The Yatra gave opportunity to Chouhan to interact with more than 1.25 crore voters who reside on the banks of Narmada.

The Narmada Sewa Yatra, began on December 11 last year from its origin in Amarkantak.

The much-hyped campaign is BJP's another major political plank to work in the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachchta Abhiyan and initiatives taken by the NDA government for environment conservation and public welfare. More important is the saffron agenda of social equality, de-addiction and poverty alleviation, which have been given importance in tribal areas by chief minister Chouhan and received a good response.

'We need to save our environment and initiate massive plantation across the banks of river Narmada to save soil degradation. ''I have started the drive and involved people from across the world for support and I am overwhelmed that the campaign has received such a huge response,' said Chouhan addressing a gathering at Jait.

Chouhan's participation in this campaign attracted a high-level of interest from voters. Chouhan has so far attended 32 rallies and public meetings during the Yatra from the beginning and made 20 major public announcements, which included developing the origin of river Narmada as a major pilgrimage, anti-alcohol and de-addiction drive in all villages situated on the river bank, removal of liquor shops, construction of crematoriums, public toilets, sewage plants, diversion of gutters, plantation of fruit trees and development of ghats and changing rooms for pilgrims.

'BJP leaders gathered in village Jait, the home of chief minister and joined Narmada Yatra. The programme was more social rather than political. Almost all state office-bearers, cabinet ministers and Union ministers from Madhya Pradesh joined the campaign,' said BJP state Vice-president Vijesh Lunawat.

Sources in the party said the state leadership would also plan its main strategy for the assembly election slated for November 2018. The leaders will also try to feel pulse of voters in case there is anti-incumbency and decide political solution for the same.

The yatra has so far touched more than 3 crore people in 584 villages of 409 village panchayats in 48 blocks. A clear message from the BJP government to financially support farmers for planting fruit saplings and cease using fertilizers in the area has been lauded by the environmentalists across the country. So far, 37,349 saplings have been planted in 882 village panchayat areas by 1.18 lakh families of farmers in 1.44 lakh hectare area, said officials in Mantralaya. A team of 50 volunteers, experts, social workers and public representatives is travelling with the Yatra to spread the message of water, forest and environment conservation, bio-farming and pollution control, said officials in the Mantralaya.

On March 25, the yatra covering a distance of 2,444 km entered Sehore district on 97th day through chief minister's assembly constituency Budhni to reach Bandrabhan, a local pilgrimage where Chouhan welcomed Yoga and meditation expert Satguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation. Satguru has inspired the chief minister to set up a happiness department in the state for the well-being of the society, which is said to be another socio-political agenda of RSS-BJP government.

To increase participation and awareness, the government has involved 518 public representatives, social workers and renowned personalities and 100 more have promised to join the campaign.

The CM took a pledge to revive all the dying rivers of the state through campaigns like Narmada Seva Yatra even as the government is yet to tackle the problem of growing water hyacinth in areas from where the Yatra has passed.

As the Yatra reached Jait, it was joined by cabinet ministers, politicians, bureaucrats and commoners on the occasion of 100 days of the foot march. The CM announced July 2 will be a historic day when more than 10 crore saplings would be planted on the banks of Narmada river on a stretch of 1,000 km. 'We have seen rivers dying whether it was Kshipra in Ujjain or Betwa in Vidisha or Kalisindh or Parvati, and we know that Narmada cannot be saved by the government alone but through public awareness. We will plant 10 crore saplings in one go from Amarkantak to Alirajpur districts on both banks of the river on July 2,' said Chouhan.

Spiritual saint and narrator Morari Bapu, a special guest on the occasion, lauded the CM for his determination for the conservation of sacred river Narmada while asserting that this is a sacred ritual and not any election promise to woo voters.

Was it a planned baptism of Kartikey, son of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, into active politics during the 100th day of Narmada Sewa Yatra at Chouhan's native village in Jait?

Kartikey, who had been participating in Narmada Sewa Yatra since so many days along with his mother and CM's wife Sadhna Singh, was the main attraction of the crowd on Monday, including eminent personalities like spiritual saint and narrator Murari Bapu, Kamal Kishore Nagar.

The guests also mentioned about him in their address and blessed him for a bright future.

Here, Kartikey got an ideal platform to project himself among the public. He addressed the gathering saying he would pray to the god to give him a heart like his father (Shivraj Singh) who is so caring about girl child and environment.

During his speech he also praised showers on his father. Chouhan in his address also mentioned Kartikey saying, People of Jait had requested to allow him to deliver a speech. However, he turned up praising his father. (IPA Service)