Vishnu Deo Sai, an influential and former Union Minister with strong ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, a significant moment for the BJP. Prominent figures such as Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and several BJP leaders will attend the ceremony.
Known to be favored by the RSS, Vishnu Deo Sai has a close association with former Chief Minister Raman Singh, a prominent BJP leader in the state. Amit Shah had hinted at Sai’s potential larger role during a rally last month, emphasizing that he would become a key figure if the party secured power in the state.
A four-term Member of Parliament and former chairman of the Chhattisgarh BJP unit, Sai is recognized for his organizational skills and a non-controversial image. The BJP asserts that he is the state’s first tribal Chief Minister, challenging the status of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi as a tribal leader.
The decision to appoint Sai aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of having a tribal leader as the Chief Minister in a state where tribals constitute 32% of the population. Despite initial indecision between choosing a tribal or an Other Backward Classes (OBC) member, the BJP opted for a tribal leader due to their favorable performance in tribal-dominated regions.
Sai, aged 59, has previously served as the chairman of the Chhattisgarh BJP unit and has been a member of the BJP National Working Committee. He was appointed as the Minister of State for Steel when the Modi government assumed power in 2014.
Expressing gratitude to PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and other party leaders, Sai pledged to fulfill Modi’s commitments through the government. The first task of his government would be sanctioning 18 lakh houses under a housing scheme. The BJP secured 54 seats in the 90-member Assembly in the recent elections, seizing power from the Congress, which saw a significant reduction in its seat count from 68 to 35.
