Chhattisgarh gets new BJP chief Vikram Usendi

Usendi was first elected to the assembly in 1993 from Narayanpur in undivided Madhya Pradesh. He then won thrice from Antagarh in Bastar division between 2003 and 2014 and served as minister in two separate terms.

In 2014, Usendi vacated the Antagarh assembly seat to fight the Lok Sabha elections from Kanker which he won, thereby precipitating a controversial Antagarh bypoll in 2015. However, with a shortage of leaders, and sensing trouble in Bastar, the BJP asked Usendi to contest the Antagarh assembly seat again in the last elections in December 2018. Usendi lost to Anup Nag, as the Congress swept 11 of the 12 seats in Bastar.

Given Usendi is from Bastar, senior BJP leaders said the move would help negate an “anti-tribal” image that the BJP has developed. “Over time, and with some decisions at the central and state levels, there has been a sense among tribals that the BJP is not the party for us. Even Raman Singh or Dharamlal Kaushik are not seen as close to tribal identity. Usendi being given such an important opportunity shows that the party is not that,” a senior BJP leader said.

The BJP will hope this will also assuage some sections of party workers angered by the decision to appoint Kaushik as Leader of Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha.

“That there is a need to calm tempers in the party is clear. However, that Usendi is the man to lead the party may not be universally popular. Many believe leaders like Brijmohan Agrawal or Saroj Pandey may have been hoping for this position, and if they are angered, the problems could still remain,” another leader said.