Bhupesh Baghel, TS Singh Deo to meet Congress brass amid buzz over power sharing

Tensions between Baghel and Singh Deo have simmered since the formation of the government in December 2018, but have never boiled over.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and health minister TS Singh Deo are set to meet senior Congress leaders in Delhi on Tuesday even as talk of a reported power-sharing arrangement between the two gains momentum in political circles.

Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo

Baghel said that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will present at the meeting, which will be held in the presence of party’s Chhattisgarh general secretary in-charge PL Punia.

“The CM’s meeting was scheduled about one-and-half months ago. It is a review meeting and obviously the power-sharing formula will be discussed. Singh Deo and Baghel both will be present at the meeting,” said a leader close to Baghel who asked not to be named.

Tensions between Baghel and Singh Deo have simmered since the formation of the government in December 2018, but have never boiled over. Both leaders have taken the stance that all decisions about the government’s future will be taken by the party high command, and they will follow the instructions from Delhi. However, speculation of a new arrangement has been rising since June 17, the day the CM completed two-and-a-half years of his term.

In December 2018, with the Congress winning a comfortable majority after a 15-year Raman Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party tenure, there were four claimants to the position of chief minister. While senior leader Charan Das Mahant was given the Speaker’s post, a power-sharing agreement was reportedly hammered out between Baghel and Singh Deo at a time when it seemed like Tamradhwaj Sahu, now the state’s home minister, would emerge as the beneficiary of disagreements between the two.

On his way to Delhi, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel told reporters at the Raipur airport, “It’s been a long time since I have visited Delhi, and after the pandemic, it is my first trip. We are going to meet with Rahul Gandhi along with our state in charge PL Punia.” Asked if Singhdeo would be joining the meeting, Baghel said, “It’s up to Rahul Gandhi, he can invite anyone. We are going on his invitation.”

Singh Deo , when asked about the meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, told HT: “ You should ask Punia ji ( PL Punia); he is correct person to provide more details.”

Punia was unavailable for comment despite repeated phone calls.

Earlier this month, Singh Deo was in Delhi, where he met senior Congress leaders, although he claimed he was on personal visit.

“We know what is going on between Singh Deo and Baghel in Chhattisgarh. I don’t know the sequence and timing of the meetings, but both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will meet the Chhattisgarh leaders and all issues including power-sharing will surely be discussed,” said a senior Congress leader in Delhi on condition of anonymity.

Over the past two months, there have been several bookmarks of potential tension within the Chhattisgarh government.

Last week, Singh Deo wrote a letter to commissioner of the state public relations department seeking action against a news portal that ran a story saying chief minister Baghel will resign on August 17, and attributed the information to Singh Deo.

The heath minister demanded “strict action” against the news portal, saying it was a “planned conspiracy” to “pollute” the political environment of state.

Then, the issue of power sharing seemed to find tacit admission on August 13 when assembly speaker and senior Congress leader Charan Das Mahant said that four senior leaders – Baghel, Singh Deo, Sahu, and himself – played the semi-finals for the CM post, and the final was in progress. “Semifinals were between four people, and only two remained. But one who wins the finals is eventually the winner. Rahul ji ( Rahul Gandhi) knows all about this formula and only Delhi can give more information about it,” Mahant said.

On July 27, Singh Deo walked out of the state assembly where Baghel was present, demanding clarity from his own government over allegations that he was somehow involved in an alleged attack on Congress legislator Brihaspat Singh.

The issue began after Singh alleged that his convoy was attacked at the behest of Singh Deo in Surguja district, which is the health minister’s assembly constituency. Later, after the intervention of PL Punia, the issue was resolved, and Singh Deo returned to assembly after Singh apologised for his statements against the minister.

Gauri Shankar Srivas, senior BJP spokesperson in Chhattisgarh said, “The infighting within the Congress is causing huge damage to the state. Now, everyone in the state knows about it. The Congress should resolve their issue for the sake of Chhattisgarh.”