CHINESE WHISPERS

Power struggle

Unsavoury news is trickling in for the Congress from Chhattisgarh. A power struggle is on between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and senior minister T S Singh Deo. Singh Deo, 67, believes he should have been chief minister when the Congress secured a massive win in the Assembly polls in December 2018. With the Lok Sabha elections impending and the Congress keen to reach out to the OBCS (other backward classes) in the state, Baghel was given the job. Some in the party say an agreement was reached that Baghel would be chief minister for two and a half years and Singh Deo for the rest of the term. Now, Singh Deo’s camp says Baghel is on a public relations overdrive and is taking all key decisions in the fight against Covid-19 even though Singh Deo is health minister. A legislator with allegiance to Singh Deo was roughed up by the police recently when he stepped out to distribute relief. Baghel and Singh Deo did not see eye to eye on the latter’s decision that the government should take over some of the private hospitals. The decision was later overturned.

Song about Covid-19

Since the nationwide lockdown was introduced, there have been many reports of police excesses. Many such reports involving Madhya Pradesh police have pushed the department into a corner. Now, to raise awareness about Covid-19 and brush up its image as a sympathetic force, the Bhopal police has launched an interesting campaign. It has penned a song talking about the challenges for people and the possible solutions. The song has gone viral. Now the department is ferrying local DJS from colony to colony who play the song and follow it up with a short message. Two such vehicles have been deployed to spread information about the virus and the precautions people must take.