Vishnu Deo Sai Named New Chhattisgarh CM After Key BJP Huddle, Reveals His Govt’s First Decision
The BJP has announced Vishnu Deo Sai as the chief minister of Chhattisgarh after a legislative party meeting.
New Delhi: The BJP has announced Vishnu Deo Sai as their pick for the chief minister of Chhattisgarh. The saffron party zeroed in on their choice after a crucial legislative party meeting earlier in the day. The 59-year-old BJP leader is a former Union Minister of State and Chhattisgarh BJP chief. Sai was the party chief between 2018 and 2022. He has won the elections from Kunkuri in north Chhattisgarh.
"Today, I have been unanimously chosen as the leader of the legislative assembly. I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda for showing trust in me. As chief minister, I will try to fulfil PM Modi's guarantees through my government. Sanctioning 18 lakh houses to beneficiaries of housing scheme will be the first work to be done," Sai said after the BJP announcement.
#WATCH | On becoming the new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai says, "...With all honesty I will work for 'Sabka Vishwas' & the promises made to the people of Chhattisgarh under 'Modi Ki Guarantee' will be fulfilled. As a CM of the state, we will try to fulfil the… pic.twitter.com/hYEnV69hkK
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2023
The key huddle at the party headquarter Kushabhau Thakre Parisar was attended by all 54 MLAs.
Three observers, Union Ministers Arjun Munda and Sarbananda Sonowal, along with party general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam, were present. BJP’s in-charge for Chhattisgarh Om Mathur, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and co-in-charge for the state Nitin Nabin also attended the meeting.
Congress leader and caretaker CM Bhupesh Baghel congratulated Sai.
कुनकुरी विधायक, वरिष्ठ भाजपा नेता श्री विष्णु देव साय जी को भाजपा विधायक दल का नेता चुने जाने पर बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएँ.
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) December 10, 2023
नवा छत्तीसगढ़ की न्याय और प्रगति यात्रा को आप मुख्यमंत्री के रूप में आगे बढ़ाएँ, ऐसी कामना करता हूँ. @vishnudsai
"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," Union Minister Renuka Singh Saruta told ANI.
Sai also met Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government.
"We have given a letter to the Governor that we have unanimously chosen Vishnu Deo Sai as the leader of the legislative assembly. The central leadership will take a decision on the date of the swearing-in ceremony and the appointment of Deputy CM," ANI quoted BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal as saying.
Speaking to the media ahead of the meeting, senior BJP leader Raman Singh said after the key meet of the legislative party, their chief ministerial pick will be clear.
"Deputy CM will also be appointed along with others. There is no issue," news agency PTI quoted Singh as saying.
In the recently-concluded state elections, the BJP secured 54 out of 90 seats, while the Congress won 35.
Speculations were rife that the saffron party may opt for an OBC or tribal chief minister if Raman Singh is not chosen.
It is to be noted that contenders from the tribal community were former Union Minister Vishnu Deo, Renuka Singh, Ramvichar Netam, Lata Usendi, and MP Gomti Sai, while from the OBC category, potential chief ministerial candidates were state BJP president Arun Sao and bureaucrat-turned-politician O P Choudhary.
Notably, the BJP ousted Congress from Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and retained Madhya Pradesh, giving boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.
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