'No response from CM to my calls': Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo on resignation row

All is not well between Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo and CM Bhupesh Baghel. Deo, who recently resigned from one of his ministerial portfolios, says the CM did not return several of his calls.

Raipur: Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo on Monday said that he did not receive any call from Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel after he gave up one of his ministerial portfolios recently.

"My phone directory didn't register any call from the Chief Minister. I received a lot of calls but none from CM," Deo said while speaking to the media after voting in the presidential elections held on Monday. On Saturday, Deo resigned from the Panchayat and Rural development department, one of the five portfolios held by him in the Bhupesh Baghel cabinet.

On his return to Raipur from Ambikapur, Deo received a grand welcome at the railway station by party workers who raised slogans in his favour. "While casting vote today, we exchanged greetings with the Chief Minister, but didn't receive any phone call from his side... might be a technical glitch. Two days ahead of sending my resignation, I spoke to him and raised a departmental issue.

Before sending my letter detailing my intent to resign, I tried calling him several times but my calls remained unanswered and I also didn't get a callback." "I had approached Congress state in-charge PL Punia and talked to him on the issue. Later, Punia assured that he will talk to the Chief Minister about this, but even then, no response came from the CM's side," he said.

Regarding the presidential candidate, TS Singh Deo said, "When a man enters the ground to play, he intends to win. We have voted with the thought that India should get a good, experienced and a mature President."