Following the triumphant victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh’s assembly elections, discussions and speculations are rife regarding the state’s next Chief Minister. The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, extended his congratulations to BJP MLA OP Chaudhary, who emerged victorious in the Raigarh Assembly constituency. Shah has invited Chaudhary to Delhi, sparking speculations about the possibility of him assuming the Chief Minister’s mantle.
OP Chaudhary, a resident of Bayang village in Raigarh district, boasts a distinguished background as a 2005 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. His tenure as a civil servant, spanning 13 years, earned him recognition for notable contributions to society. During his tenure as the Collector in Dantewada, Chaudhary’s initiatives were pivotal in the upliftment of education in Naxal-affected areas. His involvement in nurturing the Prayas School in Raipur garnered accolades, including the esteemed Prime Minister’s Excellence Award.
Achieving the remarkable feat of becoming an IAS officer at the age of 22 in his first attempt, Chaudhary’s journey from his village school in the wake of his father’s demise to graduation in Bhilai and eventual success in the UPSC examination has been commendable.
After serving 13 years in the IAS, Chaudhary resigned in 2018 and subsequently joined the BJP. His candidacy from Raigarh in the recent elections resulted in a resounding victory, securing 1,29,134 votes, triumphing over Congress’s Prakash Shakrajit Naik by a margin of 64,443 votes.
Chaudhary’s close association with Union Minister Amit Shah has sparked widespread discussions, heightening the anticipation that BJP might entrust him with the leadership reins in Chhattisgarh. As his meeting with Amit Shah in Delhi looms, the prospect of OP Chaudhary taking over the helm in the state gains momentum, setting the stage for intriguing political developments in Chhattisgarh.
