New Delhi: A day after his resignation from the BJP, senior Chhattisgarh tribal chief Nand Kumar Sai joined the Congress on Monday within the presence of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
A five-time MP and former state president of the BJP, Sai was the get together’s most distinguished tribal face within the state. His departure is touted to be a serious setback for the BJP, which misplaced its total electoral base in tribal-dominated seats within the 2018 meeting elections. The state goes to the polls later this 12 months.
The 77-year-old chief, who has been instrumental in shaping tribal politics in Chhattisgarh for the reason that early days, attacked the present BJP management for “cornering veteran leaders” within the get together to advertise “baseless leaders”.
After becoming a member of the Congress, Sai instructed media individuals, “The Bhupesh Baghel authorities is engaged on sanatan dharma tradition by making Ram Van Gaman Path (a vacationer circuit centred on locations Ram, Sita and Lakshman are believed to have visited whereas in exile), and honouring gau mata. BJP beneath current management is totally different from [that of] Atal ji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee), Advani ji (L.Ok. Advani)”.
Chatting with ThePrint, Sai expressed his disappointment in regards to the present BJP, which he stated “has modified”.
“I began my journey from the Jana Sangh days. I used to be an admirer of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Pramod Mahajan, Sushma Swaraj, who have been pillars of the get together. Immediately, the BJP has the federal government on the Centre, however it has modified,” he stated.
Sai alleged that senior leaders within the BJP have been humiliated and cornered persistently. “However no one is able to hearken to their agony. These are leaders who’ve labored for the get together’s development all these years,” he stated with out naming anybody.
About his journey, Sai stated, “All through my political journey, I discharged all my duties with humility and devotion, however for the previous couple of years, my dignity was damage by false allegations and campaigns.
“My state leaders plotted and conspired in opposition to me. I used to be not even invited to necessary conferences. I assumed that is the fitting time to depart.”
Sai claimed he was “not looking for any submit”. “They might have sought and brought my suggestions to strengthen the get together place within the tribal belt. However just a few leaders are operating the get together, there is no such thing as a place for senior leaders like me. They eliminated Vishnu Deo Sai because the state president on World Tribal Day,” Sai instructed ThePrint.
Vishnu Deo Sai, a tribal face, was eliminated on 9 August 2022. Arun Sao, who belongs to the OBC neighborhood, was picked over him in what was seen as an effort to dent CM Bhupesh Baghel’s OBC vote-bank.
In his resignation letter Sunday, Nand Kumar Sai talked about that he was “damage by some get together leaders”, who’re allegedly making an attempt to tarnish his picture.
In the meantime, the ruling Congress was fast to leap on the chance and welcome Sai into the get together.
Quickly after the resignation, it’s learnt, CM Baghel spoke with Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge Kumari Selja and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Sunday evening, and bought affirmation to succeed in out to the veteran tribal chief to affix the get together.
In its try and damage-control, the BJP, get together sources stated, despatched Vishnu Deo Sai and former get together president and get together normal secretary Pawan Sai to Nand Kumar Sai’s residence Monday, however didn’t land a gathering as he’s stated to be tenting at an undisclosed vacation spot.
Chatting with ThePrint, a former BJP MP who didn’t want to be named stated, “He had been giving alerts of his resentment for a lot of months. He was faraway from the BJP’s core group first. A couple of months in the past, Sai organised a dharna on the problem of reservation, however a lot of the leaders prevented attending it. He was additionally miffed that the state BJP leaders didn’t invite him to a gathering held in March with Amit Shah.”
However, in line with Ramsevak Paikra, one other tribal chief and former BJP president, Sai had bought many alternatives within the get together.
“From being elected as five-time MP to changing into the primary chief of the opposition within the get together, he bought many alternatives. His solely grievance was that he was denied the chief minister’s submit whereas he was the get together president in 2003,” he added. “But it surely’s not important that everyone turn into CM. Congress isn’t going to provide him the CM submit anyway.”
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A dent to BJP’s tribal-outreach plan
Nand Kumar Sai is among the many BJP leaders who labored extensively for the get together within the tribal belt, other than former Bastar MP Baliram Kashyap and Nanki Ram Kunwar.
Sai first turned an MLA in 1977 and shot to recognition after he undertook a 1,000-km yatra for prohibition the identical 12 months.
Throughout this yatra, just a few tribals commented that consuming to them was like taking salt in meals. To show his level, Sai stopped taking salt in his meals.
Sai gained the 1989, 1996 and 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Raigarh. He was the BJP president of undivided Madhya Pradesh from 1997-2000. After Chhattisgarh was shaped in 2000, he was made the chief of opposition within the state.
His disenchantment with the get together is claimed to have begun within the 2003 meeting elections, when he contested in opposition to Ajit Jogi, the Congress chief minister on the time, in Marwahi. Sai had suggested the then management to subject him from two seats, together with a secure seat. However the get together didn’t concede. Sai misplaced to Jogi within the elections.
He was made the BJP president in Chhattisgarh earlier than the 2003 meeting election. After the get together’s victory, the BJP picked Raman Singh as chief minister over Sai.
Chatting with ThePrint in regards to the affect his departure may have on the get together, the previous BJP MP quoted earlier stated, “It’s a huge setback for the get together that’s grappling with low morale and infighting within the state and is making an attempt to win again tribal sympathy and confidence.”
The chief added that the BJP had eliminated Vishnu Deo Sai as state BJP president and picked Arun Sao for the submit to dent chief minister Bhupesh Baghel OBC vote-bank.
“However eradicating Vishnu Deo Sai on World Tribal Day and the resignation of Nand Kumar Sai will consolidate the Congress’ narrative of BJP ignoring the tribal leaders, and it could possibly enhance alienation of the neighborhood,” the chief instructed ThePrint
Within the 2008 meeting election, the BJP gained 19 of the 29 tribal-reserved seats. In 2013, it gained 11 seats, whereas the Congress bought 18. Within the 2018 meeting elections, the BJP seats additional lowered to 4, whereas the Congress gained 24 seats in tribal belts.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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