BJP’s ex-Chhattisgarh chief, tribal face joins Congress: Who is Nand Kumar Sai?

The 77-year-old leader is a former two-time Lok Sabha MP and three-time MLA, who served as the BJP’s state president in both Chhattisgarh and undivided Madhya Pradesh, between the years 1997 and 2005.

The senior party leader, who hails from north Chhattisgarh, wields considerable influence in tribal-dominated parts of Surguja division of the state, and actively raised his voice against the conversion of tribals in the state.

1977-now: Sai’s political journey

Sai was first elected as the Janata Party MLA in 1977 from Tapkara seat (now in Jashpur district) in Madhya Pradesh. In 1980, he was elected as the BJP’s Raigarh district unit chief, and held the post of a BJP MLA from Tapkara in 1985 and 1998.

After the formation of Chhattisgarh, he was elected in 2000 and was the first Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly. Sai won elections to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1996 and 2004.

He was also elected to Rajya Sabha in 2009 and 2010 and served as a member of the Parliamentary standing committee on coal and steel and as a member of the Parliamentary consultative committee of the ministries of urban development, and ministry of social justice and empowerment. The senior leader went on to be appointed as the chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes in 2017.