Vishnu Deo Sai Set To Become Chhattisgarh's New CM

The BJP high command has picked Vishnu Deo Sai as the new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. This has put an end to the suspense around the next Chief Minister of the state.

Announcing the news, BJP leader OP Chaudhary said, "Vishnu Deo Sai has been unanimously chosen as the leader of the legislative assembly...We will take the state forward under his leadership...We fulfil the responsibilities decided by the party. Giving our 100 per cent, under the leadership of Vishnu Deo Sai we will take the state to new heights..."

The decision was taken at a key meeting held in Raipur on Sunday.

Former Renuka Singh, who resigned as Union minister after being elected as an MLA, former state ministers Ramvichar Netam and Lata Usendi, and MP Gomti Sai, who won the assembly polls, were the other contenders for the CM Post. State BJP chief Arun Sao, who too resigned as an MP after being elected as an MLA, and bureaucrat-turned-politician O P Choudhary, both from Other Backward Classes (OBC), were also among potential CM candidates.

In the end, Vishnu Deo Sai picked his name for the top post.

Responding to the development, Union Minister Renuka Singh Saruta said, "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..."

Vishnu Deo Sai's Journey In Politics

1990-98: Member, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly (two terms)
1999: Elected to 13th Lok Sabha
1999-2000: Member, Committee on Absence of Members from the sittings of the House and Member, Committee on Food, Civil Supplies and Public Distribution
2000-2004: Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Agriculture
2004: Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha (2nd term), Member, Committee on Information Technology
5 August 2007 : Member, Committee on Water Resources
2009: Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha (3rd term)
31 August 2009: Member, Committee on Commerce
2014 : Re-elected to 16th Lok Sabha (4th term)
9 November 2014: Union Minister of State for Mines, Steel
5 July 2016: Union Minister of State, Ministry of Steel

In the last Lok Sabha polls, the BJP managed to bag 9 seats out of 11 despite the Congress party being in power in the state. The grand old party had won two seats.

Meanwhile, former CM Bhupesh Baghel has sent his best wishes to Vishnu Deo Sai. "Congratulations and best wishes to Kunkuri MLA and senior BJP leader Shri Vishnu Dev Sai ji on being elected as the leader of the BJP Legislative Party. I wish that you take forward the journey of justice and progress of Chhattisgarh as the Chief Minister," he said on X.