A day after Congress State in-charge of Chhattisgarh P.L. Punia announced that Bhupesh Baghel will continue as Chief Minister, sources say that the last word has not yet been spoken on the matter.
The Chhattisgarh crisis is brewing at a time when the party is trying hard to put off a fire in Punjab. A day after a group of dissidents expressing no-confidence in Chief Minister Captain (Retd.) Amarinder Singh met the party’s State president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress’ Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat is individually meeting the legislators to resolve the issue.
Mr. Baghel and his Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo, who has also staked claim to the Chief Minister’s chair, had a long meeting with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. Party general secretary-organisation, K.C. Venugopal, has been assigned to work out a compromise formula between the two, according to the sources.
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This may see Mr. Deo as the Deputy Chief Minister, induction of his supporters, and weeding out of those opposed to him.
In a show of strength, a strong contingent of supporters welcomed Mr. Baghel on his return to Raipur on Wednesday. State Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat tweeted a picture of the rousing welcome that Mr. Baghel received, along with a comment: “Those who want to destabilise the government should understand that this is the government of farmers, tribals and common people.”
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Mr. Deo has invoked an assurance made by Mr. Gandhi, who was leading the party in 2018, that he [Mr. Deo] will be handed over the reins of the State halfway through the Chief Minister’s tenure. On the balance is also the credibility of Mr. Gandhi’s word.
In 2018, when the Congress won an overwhelming majority by winning 68 seats in the 90-seat Assembly, there were three claimants for the Chief Minister’s post. Mr. Baghel, who was heading the party in the State; Mr. Deo, who was the leader of Opposition in State Assembly; and Tamradhwaj Sahu, who was only Congress MP to win from the State in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls (he resigned from Parliament after contesting and winning in the Assembly polls). Sources close to Mr. Deo said that when both Mr. Baghel and Mr. Deo felt that Mr. Sahu could possibly win the race to chief ministership, they together came up with the formula of rotating the post between them.
Mr. Baghel, who has completed 2.5 years in the post, has denied that any such commitment was made.
Mr. Baghel is counting on his two major strengths — one, he belongs to an OBC (Other Backward Class) community, and second, he enjoys popular support among MLAs. “At a time when even the BJP is looking for an OBC face in the State, it would be suicidal to sideline a strong OBC leader of the Congress,” a senior leader said.
The Congress leadership will also have to ascertain that a majority of the party legislators are on board with whatever decision it takes.
Mr. Baghel is credited with having run an aggressive campaign and bringing a divided house into order. The party’s State chief is also recognised for his role in pushing the Ajit Jogi parivar (family) out of the Congress and helping put an end to intra-party intrigue.
Mr. Deo, a suave former royal, was the brain behind the Congress manifesto that many claim was a key reason for the party’s victory. He was also instrumental in mobilising funds and resources for the campaign.