Former Union Minister Vishnu Deo Sai to become next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday selected Vishnu Deo Sai, a tribal leader and former Union Minister, to be the new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.

On becoming the new CM of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai said, “Today, I have been unanimously chosen as the leader of the legislative assembly. I am thankful to PM Modi, Union HM Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda for showing trust in me.”

#WATCH | Raipur: BJP leader Vishnu Deo Sai to become the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. pic.twitter.com/8CT57rw9EO

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2023

Expressing her joy, BJP leader and Union Minister Renuka Singh Saruta highlighted the significance of Sai’s selection, noting that this marks the first time a party worker from the tribal community, belonging to a farmer’s family, has been chosen as the Chief Minister.

#WATCH | BJP leader and Union Minister Renuka Singh Saruta says, “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…” pic.twitter.com/xZ5kn7x1bV

— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2023

Sai emerged victorious in the recent assembly polls from Kunkuri in north Chhattisgarh, a region where the BJP achieved substantial success.

With a notable presence in the Durg, Raipur, and Bilaspur divisions, Sai comes from the influential Sahu (Teli) community.

He has played crucial roles within the BJP, previously serving as the state chief and a union minister. He served as State President of the party for Chhattisgarh from 2020 until 2022.

Sai was the Union Minister of State for Mines, Steel in the first PM Modi cabinet. He is highly regarded among tribal voters.

Earlier, BJP central observers Sarbananda Sonowal and Arjun Munda held a meeting in Raipur.

The polling in the state was held in two phases, with the first on November 7 featuring 223 candidates and the second seeing 958 candidates put their electoral fates to the test on November 17.

Of the 90 assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh, the BJP bagged 54 while the Congress won 35.

With inputs from ANI