Brijmohan Agrawal

Early life and politics

Brijmohan Agrawal fondly called ‘Mohan Bhaia’ is a name to reckon with in the state politics of Chhattisgarh. His venture into politics entails a rags to riches tale. Born in a humble and impoverished household in Raipur he rose to political fame with the advent of the youth wing of the then rather evolving radical nationalist party the Janata party known today as the Bharatiya Janata Party.

As a student, Brijmohan was far from a timid backbencher. He would often protest against any unfair and unjust practice or happening in the school to an extent that when he was 15, he headed a bunch of students and went on strike against the unfair means of marks distribution in his school. He would always be at the forefront.

He became the student president of the Durga Mahavidyala Raipur in 1982 and in the same year was elected as the chief advisor of the student union of Pt. Ravi Shankar shukla University Raipur.

His persona and political spear head characteristic was very much evident even as a student just paving his way through the mayhem and charade of the ongoing national turmoil which affected central India as much as the capital. The following year he was crowned the president of the student union of Kalian Mahavidyalaya in Bhilai.

During the course of his political journey, he has been always very keen and zesty about the Agrawal samaj and always did lend his hand towards the development of the Agrawal samaj and involved in its various activities.

In 1983 he was made the chairman of the Agrawal Youth Board. He remained the chairman for the proceeding 8 years owing to his politico-social activities and contributions as a member of the Agrawal community of Raipur.

Brijmohan Agrawal`s affiliation with the BJP seeded with him joining the ABVP (akhil Bharatiya vidhyarti parishad) in 1974. As he rose in his stature in the ABVP, he continued to take toll on the antisocial activities prevalent especially among the students. He campaigned against the “Mafia culture” alongside ABVP.

In 1989 he was elected as the university representative of Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla University even as he was in the verge of completion of his academics.

Following his involvement with the Janata Party for which he started working since 1977, he came to limelight after a senior BJP leader Mr. Khushabhau Thackeray took notice of him as a vibrant youth leader. Thackeray inducted Brijmohan in BJP.

The young gun from the south constituency then became officially an active member of the BJP in 1984. The political arena of the then undivided Madhya Pradesh was a clash of the titan in the mid-eighties and early nineties, amongst whom Brijmohan continued to raise his stature, proving his political will and prowess in all the administrative and field work he did for the party.

His active involvement in the state politics prompted the party to appoint him as the youth minister for the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in 1986, and yet another feather in the cap was his promotion to the post of vice president of the Morcha in 1988, a post in which he remained till 1990. He also directed the affairs of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha after getting relieved from the vice presidency.

Following the election in 1990 he being still involved amongst the youths across the state and in the party, continued as a secretary for the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and as the general secretary in 1991-94.

The biggest achievement as a young gun in the state BJP polity, Brijmohan conducted a national convention for BJP workers, which was graced by Atal Bihari Vajpaye, Lal Krishna Advani, Khushabhau Thackeray, and Rajmata Vijay Raje Scindia.

Following the 1990 election Brijmohan usurped what once was a stronghold of the Congress party, the south Raipur constituency. He became the youngest MLA in the undivided Madhya Pradesh`s state legislative assembly.

The then chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Sundar lal Patwa included him as an independent minister, in charge of science and technology. His portfolio included tourism as well.

Following the 1990s legislative elections, Brijmohan won from the Raipur constituency consecutively in 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008; each time with increasing margin of victory.

His first election was a major achievement as Raipur constituency is a bastion of Congress with the election campaign being spearheaded by the likes of Congress stalwarts Vidya charan Shukla and Shyama charan Shukla. Although the vote count of 2700 plus for victory seem marginal yet it was considerable and can be considered a major upheaval in the undivided state`s politics.

Brijmohan was at the forefront of protests against the diamond company De Beers in the late 1990s. He continuously hammered the government policy on mining and such was his impact that when De Beers’ officials came to Raipur, they were turned away from the airport.

Shri Brijmohan Agrawal`s contribution to the infrastructural development of the state of Chhattisgarh is immense during his tenure as a minister with varied portfolios. The state agronomy have seen growth in leaps and bounds.

As a minister for agriculture, he has always sought to keep the rice-bowl of India on the forefront of agronomics, promoting both traditional and technological means of agriculture. He advocates organic farming and drip irrigation. He had once asked to aggressively promote the production of litchis.

As a person and a statesman he has been keenly involved in seeing the backward areas develop in terms of education, especially that of girls which had been a social stigma in the remote areas of the state. He emphasizes that “children have right to education and they must receive this right”.

Religious influences

Shri Brijmohan Agrawal is a devote Hindu with special affinity for the Vedic Dakshin Koshal and its various religious heritage places scattered across the state. As a minister he has contributed substantially to the development of these places. He loves to gauge upon his ideal Swami Vivekananda, who has played a major part in shaping his ideology as a person and politician.

Contribution to Rajim Kumbh

Shri Brijmohan Agrawal has been influential in bringing the Rajim Kumbh to the fore investing in the spiritual and financial aspects of the Kumbh. He is highly regarded as the guardian and whole soul of the Rajim Kumbh by the locals as he with his fleet is a regular at the Kumbh and manages the daily affairs and management of the Kumbh. Shri Brijmohan personally takes care of the arrangements of sheltering, lodging and food for thousands of devotees that throng to one of the largest religious congregation in India. He has been prompt in divesting the state government as well the centre to invest in the infrastructural development and sustenance of the Kumbh that it accommodate more pilgrims with better conveniences.

Before the Kumbh became renowned the world over, it was a mere religious fair known as Rajim Mela till Shri Brijmohan proposed in the Vidhan Sabha to transform the Mela into a Kumbh as the fair attracted a plethora of cultural and religious activities and following.

Personal background

Brijmohan hails from a working-class family and his life surmises rags to riches story. Brijmohan Agrawal is a very enterprising leader, never letting down an invitation for any function or ceremony. He is popularly known as Mohan Bhaia by his supporters and fans.

Brijmohan Agrawal has dabbled into law but couldn’t practice as a lawyer after completing LL.B from Durga Mahavidyalaya (Raipur). He is married to Smt. Sarita Agrawal with three children: Abhishek, Shubhkriti and Aditya.

According to Brijmohan Agrawal he ventured into politics as he had a vision to fight for the cause of poor, downtrodden, women, children and abandoned people. He realized that to bridge this gap, sustained development would be the only solution. This realization dawned upon him while he still was student at the college. This vision was strengthened when he came in contact with Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Soon Shri Vajpayee became his role model. Since then Brijmohan Agarwal never looked back.

Brijmohan Agrawal has been elected a record number of five times from his constituency Raipur. Being a local man he has seen the city of Raipur transformed from a sleepy town to one of the fastest developing cities in the country. Brijmohan Agrawal however isn't content with the development of his constituency and has a vision to make the state of Chhattisgarh the pride of India.