The political crisis in Chhattisgarh with the Congress appears to have been averted, at least for the time being, as Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel arrived in Raipur on Saturday only to be greeted warmly by his supporters.
State Health Minister TS Singh Deo, who was also in the city, stated that “everything is fine” in Congress and that they all seek advice from the party’s high command on a regular basis.
Despite a tense and uneasy expression on his face as he left for the national capital on Friday, the Chief Minister was smiling and looked extremely confident as he exited the airport on Saturday after a hectic visit to New Delhi, where he had a four-hour meeting with senior leader Rahul Gandhi among other engagements.
Hundreds of Baghel fans gathered at the airport, singing pro-Baghel slogans as the Chief Minister waved to everyone, visited workers, and took photographs with them. Baghel was hailed by ecstatic supporters not only at the airport, but also across Raipur.
Baghel claimed that the public’s love and admiration for him has only grown, and that he and Rahul Gandhi discussed politics and public development plans during their meeting, and that he has also invited Gandhi to visit Chhattisgarh.
Baghel added, “Rahulji will visit the State next week and will return with the Chhattisgarh model to be shown throughout the country.”
Baghel was joined by ministers and 46 MLAs in a chartered plane transporting them back home as another mark of his dominance.
Baghel was clearly here to stay as State-in-Charge PL after a four-hour meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Friday. Punia stressed that no discussion of a leadership transition took place during the meeting.
“I had sought an appointment with the party high command and had detailed conversations on a number of issues,” TS Singh Deo stated.
He dismissed concerns about his leadership as a rumour, stating that he is in charge of the health ministry and will return to work as soon as he gets home.
Following Singh Deo’s visit to the party’s top brass a few days ago, Baghel, along with his MLAs and ministers, travelled to the national capital, signalling that the two senior leaders are locked in a leadership battle.
In addition, a two-and-a-half-year power-sharing formula has been circulating in Chhattisgarh for some time, with Singh Deo emerging as a strong contender to replace Baghel despite the party’s repeated denials.
