Baghel to be CM face in state polls, says Singhdeo after decision on promotion

TS Singhdeo told reporters on Thursday that Bhupesh Baghel will be the Congress’s presumptive chief minister in the state elections

RAIPUR: A day after the Congress announced its decision to promote TS Singdeo as the Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister, Deo denied that he had ever spoken of an “agreement” within the party over the rotation of the chief minister’s post and claimed that the Congress will win 60 out of 90 assembly seats later this year.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel with TS Singh Deo and Congress Chhattisgarh incharge Kumari Selja during a meeting on Thursday. (PTI/Twitter/kumari_selja)

Singhdeo also told reporters on Thursday that Bhupesh Baghel will be the Congress’s presumptive chief minister in the state elections. The Congress leader, who was welcomed by hundreds of his supporters at the airport, also thanked the party for his elevation, saying “der aaye durust aaye” (better late than never).

The Congress on Wednesday said that party president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for Singhdeo’s appointment as deputy chief minister of the state that is due to face elections later this year along with Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram in the last assembly election cycle before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections

To a question about his new responsibilities as deputy CM, Singhdeo said: “There is no specific responsibility given to Dy CM … A protocol has been given … The bigger responsibility is to create a sense of unity with leaders and workers.”

On the party’s CM face, he said, “Bhupesh Baghel is the chief minister and generally the CM and Pradesh Congress Committee president are kept on the front while contesting elections. It has been a tradition in Congress that we contest polls unitedly. Last time we did the same. One person cannot fight elections alone and ensure victory. Last time, CM Baghel’s face was at the forefront as a PCC president. This time he is as CM. We abide by the decision of high command”.

Singhdeo has had a fractious relationship with Baghel, with both vying for the top post when the Congress swept to power in Chhattisgarh in 2018 by dislodging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after winning 68 of 90 seats.

Baghel, who was then state party president, and Singhdeo, then leader of the party in the state legislature, spent several days in Delhi, attempting to thrash out a solution. Those close to Singh Deo argued that a two-and-a-half year rotational system, where he would take over for the second half of the tenure, was thrashed out. The Baghel camp has always denied this. The matter led to friction between the two leaders, prompting the party high command to intervene in September 2021 when several MLAs arrived in Delhi, showing their allegiance to Baghel. On Thursday, Singhdeo insisted that there was never a power-sharing pact. ”I never discussed any power-sharing agreement. It was a buzz in the media.”

The Congress leader, who represents Ambikapur seat in the assembly, wields considerable influence in north Chhattisgarh’s Surguja region where the party won all 14 seats in 2018.

Congress MLA from Raipur Vikas Upadhayay said Singhdeo’s elevation was an important decision by the party leadership. “We all know that Singhdeo has influence across Chhattisgarh and within the party. The decision will also have a huge impact in Surguja and the plains of Chhattisgarh,” Upadhayay said.

Another party leader said Singhdeo’s promotion was a snub to Baghel and would dent efforts by his camp to project that his views were the only ones given importance by the party.

Some leaders also suggested that the Congress shouldn’t have stopped with Singhdeo but promoted Tamradhwaj Sahu as well since he too was in the race for CM.

He further said, “We need to recall, all the aforesaid three were tipped to be CM post in 2018 with Baghel finally emerging successful. The duo of Sahu and Singhdeo took oath on the same day with CM signalling their equal status in the state. It is a fact that Sahu is crucial in the sense that the community is mostly in OBC fold and had voted in large numbers for Congress in 2018 shifting their traditional loyalty from BJP,” said Sudeip Shrivastava.

Some Sahu leaders, however, contradict this argument.

“It is a myth that Tamradhwaj is the only Sahu’s face in Chhattisgarh now . After coming to power, Baghel has given 22 posts of members and chairman of boards and commissions to Sahu leaders. Around 30 Sahu leaders hold important posts in the Chhattisgarh government. Secondly, the community also feel that Tamradhwaj hasn’t delivered after becoming minister,” said a senior Sahu leader .

Another Congress leader said the state was likely to see some more appointments over the next few weeks.