The new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnudev Sai, is considered a close associate of former Chief Minister Raman Singh. He commenced his political journey as a Sarpanch and served as a member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 1998.
New Delhi: Vishnudev Sai is set to become the new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. The tribal leader and former Union Minister Sai have been chosen by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In a meeting on Sunday with the party’s 54 newly elected legislators, he was elected as the leader of the BJP legislative party. Since the announcement of the Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results on December 3, there has been intense speculation about the Chief Ministerial post, but it has now come to a halt.
The decision to elect Vishnudev Sai as the Chief Minister was made after nearly a week of deliberation. This decision aligns with the BJP’s strategy to bring a tribal leader to the forefront, considering that 32% of the population in the state comprises tribal communities, making them the largest demographic group after OBCs. This shift is significant, especially considering that the BJP faced challenges in the initial stages regarding the selection of leaders from tribal and OBC communities.
Despite initial reservations, the BJP successfully secured victories in all 14 assembly seats in the tribal-dominated Surguja region and eight out of 12 seats in Bastar during the recent elections. BJP leaders revealed that the party had reconsidered Vishnudev Sai’s name based on the proposal made by former Chief Minister Raman Singh. The state president Arun Sao and senior leader Brajmohan Agrawal supported Sai’s candidature.
After the announcement of his selection as Chief Minister, Vishnudev Sai stated, “…I will work diligently for ‘Sabka Vishwas’ and fulfill the promises made to the people of Chhattisgarh under ‘Modi’s guarantee.’ As the Chief Minister of the state, we will strive to fulfill our commitments. The first task is to provide housing to the people, with a target of 18 lakh houses.”
Party leaders shared that a meeting was convened on Sunday with the newly elected legislators in the presence of party observers, including Central Ministers Arjun Munda and Sarbananda Sonowal, and the BJP National Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam. The meeting took place at the BJP state office in Kushabhau Thakre Complex, and it was attended by state in-charge Om Mathur, Union Minister and election in-charge Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, BJP organization in-charge Nitin Naveen, state president Arun Sao, and BJP National Vice President and former Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh.
Sai initiated his political career as a Sarpanch and served as a member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 1998.
Additionally, Sai has held the position of a Union Minister and was elected as the Member of Parliament from Raigarh in the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999. He was appointed as the state president of Chhattisgarh BJP in 2006. Sai has also served as a Union Minister.
Vishnudev Sai, 59, is considered a favorite of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He shares a close association with former Chief Minister Raman Singh, who has been the party’s top leader in the state. In the recent elections, the BJP secured victory on 54 seats out of 90 in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, ousting the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel. The Congress won on 35 seats, a significant decline from its 2018 tally of 68 seats.
