Vishnu Deo Sai, the BJP's tribal face in Chhattisgarh, is the Minister of State for Mines, Steel, Labour and Employment. He is the lone representative from the state to be sworn in as a minister in the Narendra Modi government.
50-year-old Mr Sai, a fourth time MP, represents Raigarh constituency.
Mr Sai, who heads the state BJP, is considered a close aide of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh. He was a member of Madhya Pradesh Assembly for two consecutive terms - 1990-98 - before the state was carved out in 2000.
He was elected to Lok Sabha in 1999, 2004 and 2009.