Chhattisgarh Congress power tussle: Baghel flexes political muscle as he returns to Raipur

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, locked in an apparent power tussle with his cabinet colleague T.S. Singh Deo, seemed to flex his political muscle and indicate that he continues to be firmly in the saddle as he returned to Raipur on Wednesday to an unusually huge welcome.

The CM accepted greetings and even some bouquets from MLAs and ministers like Ravindra Choubey and Amarjeet Bhagat, who were at the Airport to receive him along with a huge crowd of supporters who raised slogans in his favour. While speaking to the media at the airport, Baghel said the ‘2.5 years formula’ arrangement was an attempt to destabilise the Congress government, but it will not fructify. He reiterated that developmental issues of the state and lockdown related issues were discussed during his meeting with Rahul Gandhi and K.C. Venugopal in Delhi.

“The BJP has a problem because a farmer’s son has become the chief minister. This is a government of farmers, labourers and tribal people and represents 2.8 crore people of the state. I am thankful to Sonia ji and Rahul ji for making a farmer the chief minister. The state government is working in a great way. But as I have said earlier, I will continue to shoulder the responsibility given to me and the day Sonia ji and Rahul ji ask me, I will give up the post of chief minister,” Baghel said.

Given his confident body language, the huge welcome by supporters that was reminiscent of the time in December 2018 when his name was declared as the chief minister, and the statements made by him, political observers feel that Baghel has received a 'go-ahead' from the party central leadership to continue on his post.

Baghel was in New Delhi since Tuesday and met Rahul Gandhi and All India Congress Committee general secretary K.C. Venugopal on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Singh Deo, who is reportedly sulking with an eye at the chief ministerial post for the remaining of the Congress government's term in the state, also met both Gandhi and Venugopal on these two days.

Though both the leaders, as well as the Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge P.L. Punia, have been tight-lipped about any discussion on reported power tussle in the state, sources have indicated that the meetings in Delhi were aimed at resolving the issue.

However, the issue of internal power tussle does not seem to be resolved as Singh Deo continues to camp in Delhi and there were reports that he might return on Thursday. Political observers feel that if the issue had been resolved, Baghel and Singh Deo would have returned together.

Sources said Singh Deo is adamant that he and Baghel will not continue together in the government and he might even resign from the cabinet if required. There are said to be attempts to mollify Singh Deo by offering him a stronger role in the cabinet, even as deputy chief minister, and free hand for politics in the area of his influence (Sarguja region). But, the veteran leader is not said to be too keen on his formula and wants to be made chief minister for the remaining term, sources said.

All eyes will be on the internal politics in Chhattisgarh Congress and the moves of Singh Deo and central leadership for the next few days.

Though Singh Deo never openly spoke about the rumoured power-sharing formula, the minister and his supporters have made their resentment known in many ways in recent past, mainly after the Congress government completed 2.5 years on July 17.

The most open show of resentment was when Singh Deo walked out of the monsoon session of State assembly earlier this month after a Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh accused him of engineering an attack on him.

Singh Deo had said he would not attend the house until his name was cleared and it had taken the intervention of Punia, with apparent backing of the central leadership, to resolve the matter by holding long discussions with Baghel and Singh Deo.