The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership on Sunday chose Vishnu Deo Sai to become the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. His name as the Chhattisgarh CM was announced after an important meeting of the BJP's 54 MLAs in the state in Raipur, India Today reported citing sources aware of the matter.
All 54 MLAs including former CM Raman Singh, state BJP president Arun Sao, Union minister Renuka Singh and former Union minister Vishnu Deo Sai were present at the meeting. BJP's Chhattisgarh in-charge Om Mathur, Union Health Minister and party's joint in-charge for Chhattisgarh polls Mansukh Mandaviya, party co-incharge for state Nitin Nabin were also present for this meeting.
After his name was announced as the Chhattisgarh CM, Sai told PTI, "As chief minister, I will try to fulfill PM Modi's guarantees through my government." He also said that sanctioning 18 lakh hourses to the beneficiaries of the state government's housing scheme will be the first task for his government to accomplish.
Commenting on his appointment, BJP leader and Union Minister Renuka Singh said that this is the first time that a party worker from the tribal community has been elected as the Chief Minister.
"I am very happy that Vishnu Deo Sai will be the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. This is the first time a party worker from the tribal community belonging to a farmer's family has been elected as the CM," she told news agency ANI.
BJP leader OP Chaudhary said that Vishnu Deo Sai was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Legislative Assembly.
Sai was the first choice of the BJP if it chose to go for a tribal face to lead the state of Chhattisgarh. Vishnu Deo Sai was in competition against the likes of former CM Raman Singh, current state BJP chief Arun Sao, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh and former Rajya Sabha MP Ramvichar Netam for the top post in Chhattisgarh.
Vishnu Deo Sai won the Kunkuri Assembly seat in Chhattisgarh with total 87,604 votes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won Chhattisgarh with a thumping majority, dethroning the grand old Congress from power in the recently concluded Assembly Polls 2023. In the 90-seat Assembly, the BJP bagged 54 seats. The Congress party was reduced to 35 seats whereas the Gondwana Gantantra Party won one seat.
About Vishnu Deo Sai
Sai has served as the BJP Chhattisgarh state president from 2020 till 2022, when Arun Sao took over the reigns from him. He was also the Union Minister of State for Steel, Mines and Labour & Employment from 2014 to 2019. Vishnu Deo Sai was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1990 and was an MLA till 1998.
A year later, Sai was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1999 and was an MP till 2004. He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Vishnu Deo Sai has been on many Lok Sabha committees such as Committee on Absence of Members from the sittings of the House, Commitee on Food, Civil Supplies and Public Distribution, Ministry of Agriculture's Consultative Committee, Committee on Information Technology, Committee on Water Resources and Committee on Commerce.
Also Read: Who is Vishnu Deo Sai, the next chief minister of Chhattisgarh?