Baghel, Singh Deo to meet Cong brass amid power sharing buzz
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and health minister TS Singh Deo are set to meet senior Congress leaders in Delhi on Tuesday even as talk of a reported power-sharing arrangement between the two gains momentum in political circles.
Baghel said that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be present at the meeting, which will be held in the presence of party’s Chhattisgarh general secretary in-charge PL Punia. “The CM’S meeting was scheduled about oneand-half months ago. It is a review meeting and obviously the powersharing formula will be discussed. Singh Deo and Baghel both will be present at the meeting,” said a leader close to Baghel.
Tensions between Baghel and Singh Deo have simmered since the formation of the government in December 2018, but have never boiled over. Both leaders have taken the stance that all decisions about the government’s future will be taken by the party high command in Delhi, and they will follow the instructions. However, speculation of a new arrangement has been rising since June 17, the day the CM completed two-and-a-half years of his term.
In December 2018, with the Congress winning a comfortable majority after a 15-year Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party tenure, there were four claimants to the position of chief minister. While senior leader Charan Das Mahant was given the Speaker’s post, a power-sharing agreement was reportedly hammered out between Baghel and Singh Deo at a time when it seemed like Tamradhwaj Sahu, state home minister, would emerge as the beneficiary of the disagreements.
On his way to Delhi, chief minister Baghel told reporters at the Raipur airport, “It’s been a long time since I have visited Delhi, and after the pandemic, it is my first trip. We are going to meet with Rahul Gandhi along with our state in charge PL Punia.” Asked if
Singh Deo would be joining, Baghel said, “It’s up to Rahul Gandhi, he can invite anyone. We are going on his invitation.”
Singh Deo told HT: “You should ask Punia ji ( PL Punia); he is correct person to provide details.”
Punia was unavailable for comment despite repeated phone calls.
Earlier this month, Singh Deo was in Delhi, where he met senior Congress leaders, although he claimed he was on personal visit. “We know what is going on between Singh Deo and Baghel in Chhattisgarh. I don’t know the sequence and timing of the meetings, but both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will meet the Chattisgarh leaders and all issues including power-sharing will surely be discussed,” said a senior Congress leader in Delhi on condition of anonymity.
Over the past two months, there have been several bookmarks of potential tension within the Chhattisgarh government.
Gauri Shankar Srivas, senior BJP spokesperson in Chhattisgarh said, “The infighting within the Congress is causing huge damage to the state. Now, everyone in the state knows about it. The Congress should resolve their issue for the sake of Chhattisgarh.”