Vishnu Deo Sai, a prominent tribal leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh, has been elected as the Chief Minister after securing the position of the leader of the BJP’s legislative party in a meeting with 54 newly-elected MLAs. This comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked at a public meeting last month that Sai would be made a “big man” if elected as MLA.
During a rally in Kunakuri, Union Home Minister Amit Shah endorsed Vishnu Deo Sai, describing him as an experienced politician and dedicated BJP worker. Shah told the crowd, “You make him an MLA, we will make him a big man.”
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Who Is Vishnu Deo Sai?
Vishnu Deo Sai, hailing from a farming family in Jashpur district, started his political journey as a village sarpanch and gradually ascended to crucial roles, including Union minister and multiple-time Lok Sabha MP. Known for his humility and dedication, Sai has previously headed the BJP’s Chhattisgarh unit three times, showcasing the party’s confidence in his organisational skills.
Vishnu Deo Sai began his political career in 1990 and served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in undivided Madhya Pradesh until 1998.
Notably, he has achieved the distinction of becoming Chhattisgarh’s second tribal chief minister, succeeding Ajit Jogi. It’s worth mentioning that Ajit Jogi lost his Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in 2019.
Vishnu Deo Sai Profile: Political Legacy & Journey
The 59-year-old tribal leader, inheriting a political legacy, has been an influential figure in Chhattisgarh politics, with roles as a Member of Parliament and Union Minister.
Sai’s journey is deeply rooted in political lineage; his grandfather and elder family members were associated with the Jan Sangh (BJP’s predecessor) and have held significant political positions, as per news agency PTI. Sai also began his political career as a village panch and sarpanch, encouraged by BJP stalwart late Dilip Singh Judev.
He has been a four-time Lok Sabha MP and served as the Minister of State for Steel and Mines after the BJP came to power at centre in 2014. Despite being denied a ticket for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Sai remained committed to the party and served as the BJP’s Chhattisgarh chief.
Sai has won four Lok Sabha elections, representing the Raigarh constituency from 1999 to 2019. From 2014 to 2019, he held the position of Minister of State for the Ministry of Steel in the Union government.
The tribal leader assumed the role of the BJP’s Chhattisgarh chief from 2006 to 2010 and then from January to August 2014. Following the BJP’s loss of power in the state in 2018, Sai was entrusted with leading the party in Chhattisgarh once again in 2020. However, he was replaced with Arun Sao, an OBC leader, in 2022, merely a year before the Assembly polls.
He was appointed a member of the BJP national executive in July.
Chhattisgarh Politics: Strategic Focus on Tribal Dominance
In the recently concluded 2023 assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai secured victory in the Kunkuri constituency of north Chhattisgarh, defeating the incumbent Congress MLA, UD Minj.
The BJP clinched victory with 54 seats in the 90-member Assembly, marking a substantial comeback after a setback in the 2018 elections.
The BJP’s success can be attributed to its strong performance in tribal-dominated seats, winning 17 of the 29 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. Sai’s election as Chief Minister aligns with the BJP’s strategic focus, considering Adivasis constitute nearly 32% of the state’s population, PTI reported.
This transition in leadership reflects the BJP’s strategic manoeuvre, focusing on Sai’s leadership to consolidate its position in the tribal-dominated regions of Chhattisgarh.
On becoming the new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Vishnu Deo Sai said, “Today, I have been unanimously chosen as the leader of the legislative assembly. I am thankful to Prime Minister 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 fulfill PM Modi’s guarantees through my government,” he said, as per news agency PTI. The new Chhattisgarh Chief Minister also emphasised that sanctioning 18 lakh houses to beneficiaries of the housing scheme will be the first work to be done by his government.
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