Chhattisgarh: BJP appoints MLA Narayan Chandel as new legislative party leader

Chandel is currently an MLA from Janjgir-Champ constituency and started his political career in the early 1990s

Chhattisgarh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday appointed its three-time MLA Narayan Chandel as the new legislative party leader in the state assembly, replacing Dharamlal Kaushik.

Chandel was first elected as an MLA in the undivided Madhya Pradesh assembly in 1998. (Facebook (Narayan Chandel))

Both Chandel (57) and Kaushik (64) were from Other Backward Class (OBC) community, which comprises about 45% of the state’s population.

“Chandel has been appointed as the BJP’s legislative party leader by MLAs during the meeting held at Kushabhau Thakre Parisar, state BJP office,” a statement issued by state BJP unit stated.

The decision was taken in a meeting of MLAs on Wednesday afternoon in which in-charge D Purandeswari was also present.

Chandel is currently an MLA from Janjgir-Champ constituency and started his political career in the early 1990s. He also served as the deputy speaker of state assembly in 2010-11 during the Raman Singh government’s second term from 2008 to 2013.

He was first elected as an MLA in the undivided Madhya Pradesh assembly in 1998.

Ahead of the assembly polls in Chhattisgarh next year, the BJP has changed its leader of opposition and the state unit chief this month.

Last week, the party appointed MP Arun Sao, an OBC leader, as its state chief, replacing prominent tribal leader Vishnu Deo Sai.

The party is reportedly seen to have two major factions, one led by Raman Singh, a Thakur, and the other by former agriculture minister Brijmohan Agrawal.

“The senior leaders are convinced that the party needs strong OBC leaders in Chhattisgarh which are very few. Most of the OBC leaders are guided by other influential upper caste leaders hence the party needs a strong face. Secondly, the OBC leaders are trapped in factions and hence are not influential,” said a senior BJP leader.