Family together after a long time,but Chouhan says no time to relax

After addressing over 150 rallies in own state,he even campaigned for the December 1 Rajasthan polls before calling it a day. All that over,he made a round of temples in Salkanpur,Ujjain,Datia and Omkareshwar.

The only family outing was to Ratapani sanctuary,not far from Bhopal. Rather reluctantly,he confesses to having also taken time out for bhel at Indore’s famous Chhappan Dukan,a street-food paradise.

Sadhna Singh shakes her head at the frugal diet that sustains the CM of eight years. “He often made do with a rolled roti and a half (on campaign),” she says. “It was so hectic that he would go to sleep around 2 am and leave early in the morning.”

“I did have dal bati at home after campaigning was over,” Chouhan avers. “Where is the time to relax?”

Sadhna admits he is not fussy about food and likes it simple. In fact,the family’s only known outings all these years have been to Indian Coffee House.

While Chouhan campaigned across the state,Sadhna took care of campaigning in Vidisha,and Kartikeya,the elder of their two sons,managed affairs in Budhni. The party’s decision to field Chouhan from both Vidisha and Budhni kept all three of them busy,and November 25 polling day was the first time they were together in days. Chouhan’s younger son Kunal studies in a school outside the state while Kartikeya is pursuing a law degree in a college in Maharashtra.

Sadhna is rumoured to harbour political ambitions and there has been talk of her stepping in for her husband from one of the seats in case he wins both. Kartikeya too has given hints of a political career with his speeches at a few meetings of youngsters. However,they are not talking those scenarios now.

An early riser,Chouhan’s day begins early and yoga,which he introduced in schools,is a must. He claims it was this exercise that kept him fit during the campaign.

With the polls making him a favourite to win on Sunday,the party and Chouhan’s minders are already thinking about his first press conference and the oath-taking ceremony. The Chouhans too assert they are not tense at all,and that the CM has done enough work to see him through.