BJP leader Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders, in Raipur. Sai is the four-time Lok Sabha MP and three-time state BJP chief.
OBC face from the Sahu (Teli) community and current Chhattisgarh BJP unit chief Arun Sao was sworn in as Deputy CM.
Vijay Sharma, an organisational leader who defeated Mohammad Akbar of the Congress from Kawardha, also took oath as Deputy CM.
After the suspense over the chief ministers' names ended with BJP announcing their Chief Minister, now there are speculations over the cabinet berths.
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Sai, renowned as one of the most senior tribal leaders in the state, boasts a substantial political background. A former Union Minister and four-time Lok Sabha MP, the 59-year-old leader has also served as a two-time MLA in undivided Madhya Pradesh.
Commencing his political journey as the sarpanch of a small village, Sai climbed the political ladder to become a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inaugural Council of Ministers in 2014 when the BJP secured a full majority government at the Centre.
The BJP made a remarkable comeback in Chhattisgarh, reclaiming 54 seats in the 90-member Assembly. This triumph defied expectations set by exit polls and a confident Bhupesh Baghel leading the Congress charge as the Chief Minister in the previous term. The BJP's seat tally surged from 15 in 2018 to 54, while the Congress, which had secured 68 seats in 2018, witnessed a significant drop to 35.
