Raman effect

Chhattisgarh BJP president Raman Singh, a former Minister of State at the Centre, is tipped to be the new chief minister of the state. With Dilip Singh Judeo himself making it clear he will not accept any position until the CBI probe into the Judeo video is over, the BJP high command is keen to let Raman Singh take charge. But another Chhattisgarh leader, Minister of State Ramesh Bais is staking claim to the chair.

Two others, who may have also been in the race, are out for different reasons: former Leader of the Opposition Nand Kumar Sai has been defeated by Ajit Jogi in Marwahi while former state unit president Lakhi Ram Agrawal8217;s only backer Kushabhau Thakre, former BJP president, is no longer in the picture in view of his failing health.

BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu is reaching Raipur tomorrow to resolve the leadership issue. He will try to ensure there are no hiccups in the election of the leader of the new legislature party. Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP general secretary Sanjay Joshi are already camping there to oversee the process.

The BJP parliamentary board, which met this evening, felt that Naidu should be in Raipur to ensure consensus. Sources disclosed that the party top brass, which met earlier at the PM8217;s residence, shared the view that Raman Singh would be the right choice.

While deciding the chief ministership, the BJP will take care to name a tribal as state unit chief: it will silence any talk, especially from Jogi and his supporters, that a non-tribal has been made CM. Names doing the rounds for the state unit president include those of Nand Kumar Sai, Lok Sabha MPs Bali Ram Kashyap Bastar and Vishnu Sai Raigarh.