The former Union Minister, four-time Lok Sabha MP and chief of the tribal force overhauls others in the race to be at the helm of the state, thus becoming Chhattisgarh’s first Chief Minister from the tribal community in 23 years.
Chief Minister-designate Vishnu Deo Sai meets Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at Raj Bhavan (Source: ANI)
Raipur: Dousing all speculations, the BJP on Sunday picked Vishnu Deo Sai as the state’s new Chief Minister. The 59-year-old was voted to head after 54 MLAs of the state convened at the party headquarters, with senior leader Raman Singh recommending Sai’s name. With this, Amit Shah’s promise is fulfilled.
Later, Sai met the Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan who handed the letter appointing him as the Chief Minister. “I thank all the MLAs who have shown faith in me. I will work with full honesty and try to live up to the expectations of everyone. The promises made to the people of Chhattisgarh under ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ will be fulfilled,” Vishnu Deo Sai remarked in his initial comments.
Sai stated that his top priority is the successful implementation of the welfare housing scheme, Awas Yojna, ensuring that it reaches the 18 lakh beneficiaries.
Sai emerged victorious from the Kunkuri constituency, earning a majority of 25,541 votes. The BJP, who gained a landslide triumph, managed to dethrone Congress in all 14 seats of the tribal-dominated Sarguja region, where the latter had enjoyed supremacy during the 2018 Lok Sabha elections. Around nine seats here are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.
As per the reports, the BJP is planning to deploy two deputy Chief Ministers. The swearing-in ceremony is going to be held later this week as per reports.
Who is Vishnu Deo Sai?
The prominent face of the tribal society had a humble beginning. Born on 21 February 1964 into a farmer’s family in Jashpur, Vishnu Deo Sai commenced his political career by donning the role of sarpanch (head of a panchayat) of Bagiya village in undivided Madhya Pradesh in 1989 before heading to move up the ladder of hierarchy. From 1990 to 1998 he remained an MLA from Tapkara constituency of then Madhya Pradesh. In 1999, he tasted the first of his four back-to-back victories in Lok Sabha elections. Following the formation of Chhattisgarh, Sai became the party’s state chief in 2006.
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When the Modi government came into power at the centre in 2014, Sai was made Minister of State for steel, mines, labour, and employment, a position he held until 2019. BJP’s overwhelming setback in the 2018 Parliamentary elections brought Sai to the presidential position once again in 2020, before the OBC narrative of the Congress compelled the party to replace him in 2022. This decision by the BJP drew a lot of flak. Nonetheless, he continued his work for the party as a member of its national working committee.
Sai’s Ascendancy: How and Why?
Vishnu Deo Sai enjoys massive popularity among the tribals who constitute around 32 per cent of Chhattisgarh’s population. Sai, who maintains a low-key profile, is a reputed senior leader known for his friendly nature. All these facttors contributed to his rise as the CM. His proximity to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent organisation of BJP, provided an added thrust.
With elections around the corner in Jharkhand and Odisha, the BJP seeks to capitalise on Sai’s ascendancy. Their plan to keep two Deputy Chief Ministers is to ensure that no caste gets left out.
