Chouhan (2nd R), chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, waves as Hindu nationalist and the prime ministerial...
Shivraj Singh Chouhan (2nd R), chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, waves as Gujarat's chief minister, Hindu nationalist and the prime ministerial candidate for India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi (3rd L), and Rajnath Singh (R), president of BJP, look on during Chouhan's swearing-in ceremony in the central Indian city of Bhopal December 14, 2013. Five months before India's next elections are due, there is already an air of victory around Narendra Modi as he strides from one jam-packed rally to the next. And yet, a regional leader from his Hindu nationalist fold is quietly emerging as an alternative to lead the country. This month, Chouhan notched up a thumping election victory in Madhya Pradesh, a sprawling central state with a population larger than that of France, becoming its chief minister for a third time. Picture taken December 14, 2013. REUTERS/Raj Patidar (INDIA - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS PROFILE)