BJP To Hold First Meeting After Win In Chhattisgarh In State Headquarters

The meeting will witness the presence of all 54 newly elected BJP MLAs, including former Chief Minister Raman Singh, State Party Chief Arun Sao, Union Minister Renuka Singh.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has wrested power from the Congress in Chhattisgarh, will hold a meeting of all its elected MLAs in Raipur on Monday, as stated by a party official. According to PTI, the assembly is set to convene at 11 am in Kushabhau Thakre Parisar, the state party headquarters in Raipur. The meeting will witness the presence of all 54 newly elected BJP MLAs, including former Chief Minister Raman Singh, State Party Chief Arun Sao, Union Minister Renuka Singh, and former Union Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the party official confirmed, as per PTI.

Described as an introductory meeting with the newly elected legislators, discussions are expected to centre on the next steps, possibly including plans for the legislature party meeting.

The meeting will also be attended by BJP's Chhattisgarh in-charge, Om Mathur, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya (also serving as the party's joint in-charge for Chhattisgarh polls), and the party's state co-incharge, Nitin Nabin.

In an impressive win on Sunday, the BJP defied all exit poll predictions and claimed 54 out of the 90 seats in the assembly, while the incumbent Congress was reduced to 35 seats and the Gondwana Gantantra Party clinched one seat. Out of the 47 new faces fielded by the BJP, 29 emerged victorious.

The BJP's ascendancy to power in Chhattisgarh after a five-year tenure can be largely attributed to a series of populist promises. These include the extension of the free ration scheme, a move championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, factors such as addressing the Mahadev betting app issue and leveraging the Hindutva card have significantly contributed to the BJP's success in the region. The saffron party also targeted the Congress over communal violence in Bemetara and Kawardha districts and alleged religious conversion.

Meanwhile, the Congress failed to repeat its 2018 performance, when it won 68 out of 90 constituencies. Nine out of 13 ministers in the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh have suffered defeat in the state assembly polls.

They include deputy chief minister TS Singh Deo and home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu, both key leaders who were chief ministerial aspirants after the Congress’ thumping win in the 2018 polls, and state unit chief Deepak Baij.