As a leader of the BJP, Chouhan served as General Secretary and President of Madhya Pradesh state unit.

He is known for launching various welfare schemes such as the rice at Rs 1 per kg for the poverty-stricken, Sambal scheme that provided women labourers with maternity assistance, free education for poverty-stricken girls, electricity at a fixed rate, Ladli Laxmi Yojana and Beti Bachao Abhiyan.

[8] These welfare schemes introduction by Chauhan is attributed for the BJP's electoral victory in 2008, 2013 and 2023 assembly elections.

[17][18] As the state BJP President, Chouhan was chosen to become the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on 30 November 2005.

In 2008, Chouhan retained his Budhni seat by over 41,000 votes, and with it, led the BJP to a second consecutive victory in the state.

On 8 December 2013, Chouhan won Legislative Assembly elections from Budhni by the margin of 84,805 from a candidate of BJP.

[19] On 12 December 2018, after failing to gain a majority in the 2018 Madhya Pradesh assembly election, Chouhan resigned as Chief Minister.

[20] He once again took oath as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on 23 March 2020 after 22 Congress MLA's resigned along with Jyotiraditya Scindia resulting in the collapse of the Kamal Nath government.