New Delhi, Apr 15 (IANS): Under attack from several quarters for using bulldozers to demolish properties of persons accused of rioting and other serious crimes, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has got support from the Central leadership for his actions.

Endorsing the move to demolish properties of those accused of violence and heinous crimes, the party's in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, P. Murlidhar Rao, said on Thursday that Chouhan took action depending on the ground situation.

"Depending on the situation on the ground, Chief Minister Chouhan took the action. Wherever a bulldozer is required, he (Chouhan) is using it," Rao said.

After the recent violence in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh over a procession taken out of Ram Navami, the local administration demolished more than 50 houses and shops using bulldozers besides arresting around 100 persons.

Chouhan followed the successful ‘bulldozer' style of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and tried to send a strong message on the issue of law and order and his government's tough stance against people involved in rioting and heinous crimes.

"People have started calling Chouhan ‘bulldozer mama', just like Adityanath is popularly called ‘bulldozer baba'. The bulldozer is not demolishing properties of innocent people, it is only demolishing properties of rioters and criminals. Many in the BJP, including me, think that there is nothing wrong in the state government's decision to use bulldozers against properties of anti-social elements," a BJP functionary said.

Earlier, the Chouhan government had demolished properties of the accused persons in two separate criminal acts at Sheopur and Raisen districts.

A party insider said that bulldozers will be more visible in the coming days against those who are involved in heinous crimes, as the BJP is all set to make law and order a major issue in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled next year.