Bhopal: A remark made in a lighter vein by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday created a flutter in political circles and prompted the Congress to take digs at him.

“I would like to depart from the program, leaving behind the CM’s chair vacant to be occupied by anyone else,” said the CM, pointing towards his empty chair before laughing out loud. Chouhan was delivering the Anand lecture at administration academy in Bhopal and had to conclude his speech as he was about to leave for a trip to Jhabua and Alirajpur.

In no time, the statement led to speculation about a possible change in BJP leadership in the state. The off-hand remarks were not taken lightly as CM Shivraj was just back from a meeting of BJP Chief Ministers in Delhi and has to meet party chief Amit Shah in MP on Friday.

A resurgent Congress did find plenty of spice in the statement while BJP state head Rakesh Singh and party national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya were quick to rebuff rumours of any changes ahead of assembly polls.

Newly appointed Congress chief Kamal Nath said Shivraj’s comment is indicative of the fact that he has realized that his days on CM’s chair are numbered. “He has understood that in a matter of few months, the voters of MP would dethrone him from power,” he said.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Singh also weighed in. "Either Shivraj Singh is going to be removed (from chief minister's post) or he has accepted the fact that abki bar-Congress sarkar (this time, it will be Congress government)," he tweeted.

Within hours, Shivraj tweeted to clear the air. “I just cracked a joke on the chair reserved for me at the program, but it seems to have made some of my friends very happy,” he wrote, making it clear that nothing should be inferred from his statement.