Raman Singh, now set to become the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, has been rewarded for his quiet and efficient work, both as a party organiser and an administrator.

The 51-year-old doctor-turned-politician was a dark horse in the race for the top slot in a state where factionalism prevented the Bharatiya Janata Party from going public with its chief ministerial candidate before the assembly elections.

The others in the race were former Union minister Dilip Singh Judeo and Union Minister of State for Mines Ramesh Bais. Both are heavyweights but the unassuming Singh was all along in contention as he had sacrificed his ministerial berth at the Centre to take up the onerous task of spearheading the saffron challenge to the Congress in the state.

Along with his RSS mentor Lakhiram Agarwal, he is credited with formulating the strategy to take on Jogi. A job done with minimum fuss.

His prospects brightened considerably when Judeo opted out after the broadcast of a video tape showing him accepting money from a man seeking mining rights in Chhattisgarh and Orissa.

Born on October 15, 1952, he is no stranger to either electoral battles or the corridors of power. He was first elected to the Madhya Pradesh assembly (before the creation of Chhattisgarh) in 1990 and again in 1998.

In 1999, he made his debut in the Lok Sabha from Rajnandgaon, defeating veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora. He was made Minister of State for Commerce and Industries in the Vajpayee government. He resigned to head the BJP in Chhattisgarh.

Married to Beena, Singh has a son and a daughter.