Raipur:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named senior leader Laxmi Verma as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha vacancy from Chhattisgarh. The party high command cleared her name following a recommendation by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
Political Journey
A resident of Mudpar village in the Simga block of Balodabazar district, Verma has been a primary member of the BJP since 1990. She served as the representative for Raipur MP Ramesh Bais in 2000 and was later appointed to the BJP Mahila Morcha Working Committee in 2001, a role she held for four years.
Between 2010 and 2014, Verma was a member of the National Working Committee of BJP Panchayati Raj Cell. She also remained a member of the State Mahila Morcha Working Committee from 2010 to 2022.
The party appointed her as BJP State Vice-President (2021–2025). During this period, she also served as the Organisational In-Charge for Gariaband and a State Media Spokesperson.
Legislative and Administrative Roles
Verma’s career in local self-governance began in 1994 when she was elected as a Councillor from Ward Number 7 of the Raipur Municipal Corporation. In 2010, she was elected as the President of Raipur Zila Panchayat.
At the federal level, she served as an Independent Director in FSNL under the Union Ministry of Steel in 2019. Since 7 October 2024, she has been a member of the Chhattisgarh State Commission for Women.
Social and Community Leadership
Beyond active politics, Verma has held several social and advisory positions. She headed the Shakti Mahila Manch, Raipur in 1998 and received the District Youth Award from Nehru Yuva Kendra in 1999. In 2004, she was nominated to the Raipur District Labour Rehabilitation Committee.
Verma currently serves as:
- National General Secretary: All India Panchayat Parishad (since 2023)
- Vice President: Chhattisgarh Bharat Scouts and Guides
- Chief Patron: Chhattisgarh Ekta Mazdoor Kalyan Sangh
- Consultant Member: Family Court, Raipur (since 2011)
She also holds significant influence within the Manva Kurmi community. She served as the State President of the Chhattisgarh Manva Kurmi Kshatriya Sabha (Women’s Wing) from 2008 to 2010 and is currently the National General Secretary of the All India Kurmi Kshatriya Mahasabha (Women’s Wing).
