Shivraj Chouhan slammed Congress leaders over "Hema Malini's cheeks" remark

Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday criticised Madhya Pradesh minister PC Sharma's statement that pothole-ridden roads in Bhopal would soon be made "pretty" like actor-politician Hema Malini's "cheeks".

Expressing concern over the bad condition of roads, the state law minister said the roads have spots similar to small-pox, like "the (BJP general secretary) Kailash Vijayvargiya's cheeks".

"How can these ministers compare the streets with someone's cheeks? This statement proves the mentality of Congress leaders," Mr Chouhan told reporters.

He also scotched perception that he was aspiring for any Constitutional post in Madhya Pradesh.

Mr Chouhan's clarification came a day after Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly Gopal Bhargava.

Addressing a meeting in poll-bound Jhabua, Mr Bhargava on Tuesday said Mr Chouhan would take oath as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh after Diwali in the event of BJP candidate Bhanu Bhuria winning the October 21 bypoll with maximum votes.

Shivraj Chouhan was present on the stage when Mr Bhargava made the statement. As his remarks generated heat, Mr Bhargava said it was "just a poll statement".