Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel again summoned to Delhi
Amid reports of a continuing rift in Congress in Chhattisgarh and Punjab, senior leader P Chidambaram has said that there is no rebellion in the party and went on to describe the ongoing 'crisis' as an internal matter. He exuded confidence that leadership's intervention will put all the speculations to rest.
"There is no rebellion in Chhattisgarh & Punjab. These are internal matters which are discussed within the party. Did you describe the Karnataka change of guard as a rebellion?" he said.
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership has again summoned Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for discussions a day after he returned to Raipur after a marathon session with Rahul Gandhi on the power tussle with Health Minister TS Singh Deo. According to reports, Baghel will visit Delhi today, his second visit this week. He will meet senior Congress leaders. Baghel had earlier rejected talks about a rotation of the CM's post.
According to Congress sources, a PTI report said, several party MLAs who are close to Baghel have started leaving for Delhi, while two ministers including Deo and some legislators are already camping in the national capital.
Baghel had returned to Raipur from Delhi on Wednesday evening after former Congress president Rahul Gandhi held meetings with him and minister TS Singh Deo in a bid to resolve power tussle between the two senior leaders.
On Wednesday itself, over a dozen Congress MLAs and functionaries held a meeting at New Circuit House in Raipur.
The Congress party came to power in the state in December 2018, ending the BJP's 15-year-long rule. When the Congress opted for Baghel for the top post following its victory in the 2018 assembly polls, there was speculation that Deo, another contender in the fray, would be allowed to take over as CM after two and a half years. Baghel completed two and a half years in office in June 2021.
The Congress party is in power in six of 31 states. It has CMs, however, only in three states -- Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Rajasthan. In Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, the Congress plays a role of a junior partner.
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