BJP Returns Favour, Picks Tribal As Chhattisgarh CM-Designate

Raipur/New Delhi

The BJP on Sunday chose Vishnu Deo Sai as the Chief Minister-designate to lead the tribal State of Chhattisgarh.

A tribal himself, Sai has worn many hats in his illustrious political career — from being a sarpanch to an MLA to the State BJP president to an MP to a Union Minister and now, Chief Minister.

With the BJP legislature party, including former Chief Minister and party veteran Raman Singh, backing Vishnu Deo Sai in the presence of the three Central observers, the 59-year-old Kanwar tribesman pipped the other contenders like another Adivasi leader Renuka Singh to the post to become the chosen one. He was elected the BJP legislature party leader and thus anointed the CM-designate.

“With all honesty I will work for ‘Sabka Vishwas’ and the promises made to the people of Chhattisgarh under ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ will be fulfilled. As the CM of the State, we will try to fulfil the promises. The first work will be to give 18 lakh ‘Awas’ to the people,” Vishnu Deo Sai said, shortly after his name was announced for the top job.

Sai, who joined the BJP in 1980, won from the Kunkuri Assembly seat and has the distinction of winning consecutively for four times from the Raigarh parliamentary seat. He was the Union Minister of State for Steel and Mining during the Modi Government’s first term from 2014-19.

The BJP, which had fared badly on ST seats in 2018 to lose power, bounced back on tribal turfs this time round. Adivasis helped it win 17 of the 29 ST seats while the Congress could win just 11 seats. This was primarily the reason behind the BJP storming back to power in the State.

Picking a tribal for the top job has also been done keeping the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, which is just a few months away, in mind. With 47 ST Lok Sabha seats in the fray, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to lure the Adivasi voters and ensure it bags a majority of the tribal seats.

With many names doing the rounds in Chhattisgarh, the BJP central leadership had dispatched Union Ministers Arjun Munda and Sarbanand Sonowal besides party general secretary Dushyant Gautam as its observers to finalise the name of the party’s Chief Ministerial pick.

Update

7 Kuki-Zo camps to be relocated to tribal areas

The Union Home Ministry and Manipur’s Kuki-Zo insurgent groups have reached an understanding to relocate seven camps from near Meitei-dominated areas. The decision follows a second round of talks on Monday under the 2008 Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. “It has been agreed in principle that any relocated camps should be in tribal areas. The locations of the new camps in tribal areas will be discussed at a third meeting to be scheduled,” an official said. While Meiteis have opposed the pact blaming armed Kuki militants for involvement in the protracted strife, Kukis have accused Meitei groups, including Arambai Tenggol, of stoking the violence.