10 Congress MLAs land in Delhi from Raipur, say there is no crisis in state

Chhattisgarh Congress legislator Brihaspat Singh, who is leading a group of MLAs to Delhi, said he and his party colleagues want Rahul Gandhi to spend at least four days in different parts of the state.

Published on: Sep 29, 2021, 23:32:22 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: Ten Congress legislators from Chhattisgarh landed in national capital Delhi on Wednesday to meet the party’s state in-charge PL Punia with a message for Rahul Gandhi. The legislators, said Brihaspat Singh who is leading the group, want Gandhi to visit the state for at least four days and not just two.

Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh, seen to be close to Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, is leading a group of 10 legislators which reached Delhi from Raipur on Wednesday (Twitter/ANI)

Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is in the middle of a tussle with cabinet colleague TS Singhdeo over the chief minister’s chair, first spoke of Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit on August 28 after a long meeting with the Congress high command on suggestions that Baghel should move aside. News of Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to see how the Chhattisgarh government had delivered on its promises, was seen to signal that Baghel has an edge over Singhdeo. Senior minister and Chhattisgarh government spokesperson Ravindra Chaubey told reporters on September 23 that Baghel was scheduled to travel to Delhi in the first week of October to discuss Rahul Gandhi itinerary for his Chhattisgarh trip.

Brihaspat Singh, the MLA from north Chhattisgarh’s Ramanujganj seat, said they want Rahul Gandhi to spend more time in the state so that he can visit more places.

“We will meet Punia ji (PL Punia) today or tomorrow... Actually, Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Chhattisgarh in next few days for two days and we are here to urge high command to extend the two-day visit so that Rahul ji (Rahul Gandhi) can give more time to our state and meet more people,” Singh told HT on phone soon after his plane landed in Delhi.

Also Read: The inside story of the Bhupesh Baghel-TS Singh Deo battle in Chhattisgarh

Brihaspat Singh, widely seen as a Baghel loyalist, triggered a political firestorm in Chhattisgarh Congress in July when he accused Singhdeo of engineering an attack on his convoy in Ambikapur. TS Singhdeo, the state’s health minister, had then walked out of the assembly and returned only when home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu issued an unequivocal statement that the allegation was false. Brihaspat Singh also had to issue an apology.

Asked if he along with nine other MLAs are in Delhi to discuss political crisis of the state, Singh shot back: “There is no political crisis in Chhattisgarh now ...Around 60 MLAs have verbally told their position to high command via Punia ji last month.. Everything is clear now”.

The tug of war between Baghel and Singhdeo is linked to the much speculated two-and-a-half-year power-sharing agreement that was reportedly arrived at between the two leaders.

In December 2018, in the aftermath of a dominant Congress performance where the party won 68 of 90 seats, friction between Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo meant that Tamradhwaj Sahu, now home minister, initially emerged as the frontrunner for chief minister, but pushed by the idea that a third leader would take the top position, Baghel and Singh Deo, along with Punia and Gandhi, reportedly arrived at a power-sharing arrangement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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