The Madhya Pradesh government has appointed Namdev Tyagi, better known as “Computer Baba”, to the post of the chairperson of the Ma Narmada, Ma Kshipra evam Ma Mandakini River Trust. The spiritual department of the Madhya Pradesh government passed the order on Saturday, The Times of India reported on Monday.

“The model code of conduct was to kick in,” Tyagi told The Indian Express on Sunday. “The rest [facilities and status] will be done later. They have done a clever thing by making the appointment [quickly].” The Election Commission of India announced dates for the Lok Sabha polls on Sunday. Polling will be held in seven phases beginning April 11 and end on May 19, with the results on May 23.

Tyagi was made a minister of state in the erstwhile Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh in April 2018. However, he resigned in October, claiming that the government was anti-religion.

On Sunday, “Computer Baba” told The Indian Express that his priority under his new post will be to prevent illegal mining. Tyagi claimed he would form committees of people living there to keep the three rivers clean.

“I quit because the previous government did nothing to stop illegal mining,” Tyagi claimed. “The new government has entrusted me to stop the illegal practice so I have accepted it.”

“I am thankful to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Kamal Nath for assigning me this work,” Tyagi told The Times of India. “I have decided to begin the task as soon as possible though there are some complications due to the Lok Sabha elections.”