All anticipation comes to an end when the announcement is made on December 10th Sunday, revealing the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. Making history, Vishnu Deo Sai emerges as the first ever tribal leader to be elected as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma are set to be appointed as Co-Deputy Chief Ministers, while the former Chief Minister, Raman Singh, is stated to become the Speaker of the Chhattisgarh assembly. Securing a significant victory, the BJP, with the support of the tribal population constituting over 32% of voters, won 18 Scheduled Tribe seats, with 14 of them coming from the Surguja region.
In the recent assembly elections, the BJP emerged victorious with 54 seats out of the total 90, overshadowing the Congress, which secured 35 seats. Notably, the BJP, which faced a setback in tribal-dominated areas in the previous 2018 elections, demonstrated a remarkable turnaround this time. The party excelled in these regions by winning 17 out of 29 seats, strategically nominating candidates from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.
Vishnu Deo Sai, a prominent tribal leader within the BJP since 1990, has held various key positions in government throughout his extensive political career. Commencing his political journey as the Sarpanch in his native village of Bagia, Sai's dedication and leadership skills were evident early on. He further contributed to the political landscape as a member of the Madhya Pradesh assembly from 1990 to 1998, predating the division of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
From 1999 to 2014, Sai represented the Raigarh constituency of the newly formed Chhattisgarh state, serving as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha. Notably, he was also a former Union Minister of State for Steel, Mines, and Labour and Employment during one of the initial ministries led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Upon securing victory in the election, Vishnu Dev Sai has expressed his commitment that he will wield the power of his Chief Minister position to turn Modi's pledges into reality and fulfill Modi’s guarantee to the public. The first monumental task on the agenda for the incoming Chhattisgarh government, he announces, would be to sanction the construction of 18 lakh houses for the beneficiaries of the housing scheme.
Vishnu Dev Sai's commitment to the BJP was underscored by his three tenures as the Chhattisgarh BJP president. His leadership spanned from 2006 to 2010, briefly in 2014, and again from 2020 to 2022. His diverse political roles and extensive experience make him a significant figure within the BJP, particularly as the party continues to make strategic appointments in key positions.
The BJP government has made a wise and well-thought-out move with these strategic appointments. The inauguration ceremonies for the newly designated ministers have begun, and it is anticipated that the oath-taking will likely take place on December 13th. The public is now anxiously awaiting the revelation of who will assume the role of Chief Minister in Rajasthan.
