Chhattisgarh BJP appoints new Leader of Opposition

MLA Narayan Chandel represents the Janjgir-Champa Assembly constituency and has been a deputy speaker of the State Assembly

Three-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Narayan Chandel will be the new Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly, said the party on August 17.

Mr. Chandel (57) represents the Janjgir-Champa Assembly constituency and has been a deputy speaker of the State Assembly. He comes from the powerful Kurmi caste and replaces Dharamlal Kaushik.

“I am honoured that the party has chosen me to lead the legislative party leader. The goal is clear – to uproot the Congress government led by Mr. Bhupesh Baghel and continue to fight against its policies both inside the House and on the streets,” said Mr. Chandel, after his name was formally announced at the party’s State headquarters, Kushabhau Thakre Parisar.

The announcement was made during a meeting attended by all MLAs, MPs and senior leaders of the State unit. BJP’s state in-charge D. Purandeswari was also present at the meeting.

The move comes a week after the party appointed new State president, Arun Sao. This signifies the party’s intent of “focusing heavily on the other backward classes (OBC) vote bank” and presents a “fresh look devoid of any baggage or controversies from the past” in a crucial election year, said sources close to the party.

Mr. Sao comes from the Sahu community, which is the largest constituent under the OBC umbrella. Kurmis, a caste from which Mr. Chandel and Mr. Kaushik both come, forming the second-largest OBC vote bank.

“The party is wary of the fact that Chief Minister Mr. Baghel also comes from the Kurmi caste and hopes that having a Sahu-Kurmi combination at the top will consolidate the OBC vote bank. It also assures the smaller [non-Sahu, non-Kurmi ] OBC groups that proper representation would be given,” said a source, adding that more changes in the organisational set up – from the youth wing to women’s wing at the State level – were in the offing.