Senior tribal BJP leader Anusuiya Uikey appointed as Chhattisgarh Governor

Senior tribal BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh Anusuiya Uikey on Tuesday was appointed as the Governor of Chhattisgarh.

Anusuiya Uikey has replaced Anandiben Patel, who as Governor of Madhya Pradesh was also holding the charge of Chhattisgarh following the demise of Chhattisgarh Governor Balram Das Tandon on August 2018.

Anusuiya Uikey is the first tribal to hold the charge of Governor since the state’s formation in 2000.

Incidentally, the senior tribal BJP leader is also the first full-time woman Governor in the state as Anandiben Patel was holding additional charges.

Anusuiya Uikey hails from Chhindwara, the Lok Sabha constituency that was earlier represented by Chief Minister Kamal Nath for nine terms.

The tribal woman was a lecturer of economics at a government college in Chhindwara district before she joined politics.

Anusuiya Uikey began her political career in the Congress party and became an MLA in 1985 in Madhya Pradesh.

She then became a minister in the state cabinet in 1988.

It was in the early 1990s that she joined the BJP and became chairperson of the Madhya Pradesh state commission for scheduled tribes.

Senior BJP leader also became a member of the national commission for women in 2000.

Anusuiya Uikey has been a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh between 2006 and 2012.

Presently, Anusuiya Uikey is the vice-chairperson of the national commission for scheduled tribes.

Tribals constitute about 34 per cent of the population of Chhattisgarh.

Political analysts suggest that by appointing Anusuiya Uikey the BJP has taken another step in wooing the tribal electorate in the state.

Earlier, the party appointed a tribal, Vikram Usendi, as party chief after the Vidhan Sabha elections.