Chattisgarh CM Bhagel and Singh Deo call a truce, no change at the helm

A day after meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister TS Singh Deo, on Wednesday, met AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal at his residence in Delhi. Both of them preferred to remain tight-lipped over the ongoing crisis in Chhattisgarh Congress.

New Delhi: A day after meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister TS Singh Deo, on Wednesday, met AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal at his residence in Delhi. Baghel and Singh Deo sought different timings for the meeting with the Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal. However, both of them preferred to remain tight-lipped over the ongoing crisis in Chhattisgarh Congress.

According to the sources, in the meeting with Rahul Gandhi, a temporary truce was worked out to end the rift between the two leaders over the leadership crisis. It is being said that there will be no change of guard in Chhattisgarh as of now, while Deo may get a bigger role in Cabinet. Gandhi had given the responsibility to KC Venugopal of working out on a truce formula between the two leaders, therefore, both Baghel and Deo expressed their grievances before him today.

While Bhupesh Baghel left for Chhattisgarh soon after this meeting, TS Singh Deo stayed back in Delhi. However, he has refused that there is no another scheduled meeting of him later in the day.

The sources have informed that TS Singh Deo had complained that he is not being consulted even for the work relating to his ministry. He also briefed Rahul Gandhi over the allegations levelled on him by an MLA of his own party, Brihaspati Singh. Due to this, Baghel has also been clearly instructed by the party high command to not interfere in the work of TS Singh Deo and to take his complaints seriously.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel also launched an attack over TS Singh Deo after returning back to Raipur, by saying, "I've said this earlier as well that I'll continue to be at CM post as long as it is their (Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi) order. Those who are chanting "2.5 years", are basically trying to bring political instability but they will never succeed."

The rift between the two erupted after Chhattisgarh government completed its half term. As per the claims of TS Singh Deo, he was promised by the party high command that he will be given the post of CM after 2.5 years of Congress government but the leadership change has not happened yet.

However, TS Singh Deo, yesterday denied any such claim of rotational appointment of CM Post, while asserting that there is no crisis in Chhattisgarh. He said to the media, "It is all about working for Chhattisgarh. That is our responsibility. We are all together in the Congress party, like a family, which is headed by Sonia Ji and Rahul Ji. There are no differences between us. In Chhattisgarh, whatever Sonia Ji and Rahul Ji will advise, we will work upon it."