As the BJP-ruling Madhya Pradesh is heading for the crucial assembly polls in this November, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's administration is busy with constructing grand Hindu temples across the state with the view of preparing the party to meet its votebank and reaping the Hindu votes during the polls. 

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Chouhan laid the foundation stone for the project called 'Bhagavan Parshuram Lok' at Janapav in Indore district. It is believed that Janapav is the birth place of Lord Parshuram, a top deity of the Brahmin community. The next day, on Wednesday, the Chief Minister performed the ritual of laying foundation stone for 'Devi Lok' at Salkanpur in Sehore district.

It has been reported that the Salkanpur temple is one of the top religious places in Madhya Pradesh and the temple has Vindhyavasini Beejasan Mata, a form of goddess Durga, as its deity. The reports say that Devi Lok and Parasuram Lok are among seven such projects announced by the ruling BJP regime. The Devi Lok temple will be developed at a cost of Rs 211 crore. 

Speaking at the ritual, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that along with undertaking development works, it was also the responsibility of the government to promote religion and culture, which connect people. He further said that it is due to the blessing of the goddess that the government has decided to enact a law for rapists and confer them death penalty and initiated the ambitious Ladli Bahna Yojana - cash assistance scheme of Rs 1000 per month aimed at upholding honour of women and to meet their small requirements. 

By citing that the dignity and honour of women are the topmost priority of his government, Chouhan said that several schemes including support programme for girl children and marriage ceremony support for women have been implemented for women empowerment. 

In a release, the government said about one lakh devotees witnessed the ceremony at Salkanpur with monks, seers and priests from all over the country. Earlier, Chouhan had visited the Devi Lok exhibition in Salkanpur and taken stock at the model of the temple complex.