Raipur: Tribal bigwig Vishnu Deo Sai (59) – who assumed the mantle of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister on Wednesday – had commenced his political career at the panchayat level.
In 1989, he became a panch in Jashpur district’s Bagiya Village Panchayat. The following year, he was elected unopposed as Sarpanch. He first entered the Assembly’s portals in 1990 from undivided Madhya Pradesh’s Tapkara, which he represented without break till 1998. He emerged victorious from Raigarh in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. Sai was re-elected from that constituency to the 14th, 15th and 16th Lok Sabhas.
In 2014, he served as Minister of State for Steel, Mines, Labour and Employment in the Centre’s Narendra Modi dispensation. Half a decade later, he could not obtain a ticket as the saffron camp decided to field fresh countenances in all 11 segments. In 2020, he was again bestowed the responsibility of BJP state President and continued in that capacity for a couple of years. He was the state head in 2006 and 2011 as well.
BJP Working Committee Member Sai represents Jashpur district’s Kunkuri. His family was associated with the Jan Sangh. (UNI)