Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, publicly endorsed a new book by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan titled 'Apnapan: My Experiences with Narendra Modi', calling it a work filled with personal warmth and encouraging his followers to read it.

Context

Shekhawat shared the endorsement on X, writing in Hindi: 'Is kitaab mein apnapan hai!' ('This book has a sense of belonging!'). He described the volume as one that captures 'every dimension of sensitivity in politics,' and added that he would read it himself and expects the same of his audience.

The book, authored by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is based on his more than three decades of shared experiences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chouhan presented the work drawing on a political association that stretches back to their formative years within the BJP.

Policy Backdrop

Shivraj Singh Chouhan served as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for multiple terms beginning in 2005, a period that overlapped significantly with Narendra Modi's own rise — first as Chief Minister of Gujarat and subsequently as the dominant figure in national BJP politics. The two leaders navigated several landmark moments in the party's trajectory together.

Senior BJP figures have periodically published memoirs and personal accounts since 2014 that document their ties with the Prime Minister. Such works serve both as political biography and as internal party literature reinforcing themes of loyalty, continuity, and shared ideological purpose.

Stakeholders and Impact

The book's primary audience spans BJP workers, political observers, and readers interested in contemporary Indian political history. An endorsement from a Union Cabinet minister of Shekhawat's standing — a Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan and a senior organisational figure — amplifies the book's reach beyond Chouhan's own network.

For the broader BJP ecosystem, such public endorsements by ministers signal internal solidarity and help position the publication within the party's communication calendar ahead of events like parliamentary sessions or party conclaves.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether other Union ministers or senior party leaders follow with similar endorsements, reviews, or public readings of 'Apnapan.' Any references to the book at upcoming party events or parliamentary sessions would further elevate its profile within political circles.

The pattern of BJP leaders authoring and cross-promoting such works suggests the publication could become a talking point in the party's broader narrative-building exercise through the remainder of 2026.