Madhya Pradesh governor Rameshwar Thakur, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and many prominent national leaders would attend senior Congress leader Arjun Singh’s cremation at Churhat, his native village in Sidhi district of MP on Sunday.
The CM was prompt in announcing a three-day state mourning and a public holiday on March 5 as a mark of respect to the departed leader. Since it was also the CM’s birthday on Saturday, Mr Chouhan reque-sted his supporters and ruling BJP workers to cancel all programmes organised to celebrate this occasion. During the day, he only visited an old age home and an orphanage in the city to spend time with old people and children — practice he has followed on every birthday.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Chouhan paid rich tributes to Arjun Singh by describing him as an astute politician, who devoted his life for the cause of the deprived, disadvantaged and the backward sections of society. As chief minister, Union minister, governor and in various other capacities, he had remained committed to the cause of the weaker sections, said Mr Chouhan.
State BJP president Prabhat Jha joined the condolence meeting held at the Congress headquarters here on Saturday and offered glowing tributes to the departed leader. Mr Jha described Arjun Singh as a statesman, who was deeply committed to the national cause and was always ready to help the needy and the masses.