After the Congress was ousted from power last year following a rebellion in Madhya Pradesh, the party is finding it difficult to keep its flock together in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. As chief minister Bhupesh Baghel returned to capital Raipur on Wednesday following hectic parleys with the party top brass and rubbished claims of rotation of the CM’s post while tagging it with a show of strength in the city, political pundits are intrigued whether this is the conclusion of the political upheaval in the state or there is more to come.
A seasoned politician, Baghel meticulously showed his might in Raipur by gathering supporters in hundreds upon his return, reposed utmost faith in the party top leadership, and also did not forget to conclude his remarks saying those fuelling the “2.5-year CM rotation formula” are trying to destabilise the Congress government, analysts say.
Baghel deliberately flexed his muscles as this was obviously not the first time he went to New Delhi or returned to Raipur from there, said a senior political journalist from the national capital. Also, State Krishak Kalyan Parishad chairman Surendra Sharma and State Scheduled Tribe Commission chairman Bhanu Pratap Singh were assigned cabinet ranks by the Baghel government late on Wednesday evening. Both are senior leaders of the party and have been associated with party organisations for years.
Trouble brewing
That the simmering dissension has not cooled down yet was proven by the fact that the sulking TS Singh Deo stayed back in New Delhi and is expected to retreat from the national capital in a day or two, but will reportedly head to Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal where he has relatives living for years.
Sources also say that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi could summon Baghel to the national capital again in a day or two.
However, party leaders have adopted a wait-and-watch strategy in Chhattisgarh and are avoiding direct meddling in this power tussle, sources say.
The skirmish in Chhattisgarh is not new and it bubbled up soon after Bhupesh Baghel, the Congress OBC poster boy, was crowned chief minister in 2018, leaving strong claimant TS Singh Deo disgruntled. The tussle continued and resurfaced when the Congress government completed 2.5 years in power in June this year with talks of a change at the top.
State incharge PL Punia finally rubbished this power-sharing formula publicly, but the tension continued.
State health minister Singh Deo, known as a suave and mild politician, has expressed his resentment from time to time. Weeks ago, he had flayed the Baghel government’s plan of roping in private players for boosting healthcare in the state and said he wasn’t consulted on the matter.
High drama
The party state unit plunged into major trouble after MLA Brahaspat Singh accused Singh Deo of plotting his murder following an attack on his motorcade. An upset Singh Deo had left the assembly in disgust and the matter was only settled after the intervention of senior leaders.
Infighting popped up in the party yet again days ago as the health minister inaugurated the party office Rajiv Bhawan in Sarguja and the premises was re-inaugurated by food minister Amarjeet Bhagat by cutting a ribbon. Supporters of both the leaders also had come to blows.
Singh Deo hadn’t commented on the ribbon-cutting but took objection to sloganeering by Bhagat supporters, saying something similar happened in the tenure of the-then chief minister Ajit Jogi, which resulted in the party being away from power for 15 years.
As the high-voltage drama ceases to end, political sloganeering has also picked up in the state. Baghel supporters say, “Chhattisgarh ada hua hai, Bhupesh sang khada hua hai” (Chhattisgarh is adamant on standing with Bhupesh Baghel). Singh Deo’s backers have responded with, “Chhattisgarh dol raha hai, Baba Baba bol raha hai” (Chhattisgarh is resonating with Baba’s, or Singh Deo’s, name).
However, many believe that it’s unlikely the Congress high command will take a drastic decision, especially when several states are going to assembly polls soon. But it will be interesting to see how the party manages to keep Singh Deo happy, a Raipur-based political analyst said.
