Chhattisgarh BJP legislators elect Raman Singh as leader

Raipur, Dec 10 (IANS) Raman Singh, who led his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to victory in the Chhattisgarh polls, will become chief minister for a second time as he was Wednesday elected leader of the BJP legislature party.

The 50 newly-elected legislators of the BJP unanimously picked 56-year-old Singh as their leader at a meeting held at the party state headquarters Ekatm Parisar.

The meet was attended by BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad as party observer. Prasad was election in-charge of the party as well.

The Ayurvedic doctor-turned politician, who was sworn in Dec 7, 2003, to head the first BJP government in the mineral-rich state, will take oath of office for the second stint at the Police Parade Ground here Friday.

Party sources said Singh will pick his cabinet colleagues after holding talks with the party's central leadership.

The BJP has won 50 seats in the 90-member assembly, while the Congress settled with 38. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged two seats.

Elections were held in Chhattisgarh Nov 14 and Nov 20 and the results were announced Dec 8.