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Rift widens? Chhattisgarh CM, health minister to meet Rahul Gandhi in Delhi
The two senior leaders are scheduled to meet former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the party’s state in-charge PL Punia on Tuesday.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and health minister TS Singh Deo will come to New Delhi on Tuesday as differences within the state unit of the ruling Congress is likely to have intensified.
The two senior leaders are scheduled to meet former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the party’s state in-charge PL Punia, according to news agency ANI .
There have been reports about tensions between Baghel and Deo, who was among the chief ministerial candidates when the Congress returned to power in the state in 2018. Baghel completed two and half years at the helm on June 17. Deo is believed to have reminded Baghel about the power-sharing formula apparently agreed upon in 2018 when another minister, Tamradhwaj Sahu, was also among the contenders for the top post.
While both Deo and Baghel have maintained the central leadership would take a final decision on the matter, the duo has been making frequent trips to Delhi to plead for their case.
Last week, Deo had sought action against a news portal that had cited him as the source for an article claiming Baghel would resign on August 17. The public relations department asked the portal to issue a corrigendum or else face legal action. Deo called the story carried on August 15 a “planned conspiracy” to “pollute” the state’s political environment. Baghel is in charge of the department.
The rift within the ruling party had come to the fore when Deo walked out of the Assembly demanding clarity from his own government over allegations that one of his relatives was involved in an alleged attack on Congress legislator Brihaspat Singh.
Deo was unsatisfied with the government’s statement over the alleged road rage incident involving Singh’s convoy on July 24.
At present, Chhattisgarh is one of the last remaining states where the grand old party is in power. Another other Congress-ruled state of Punjab is faced with massive factionalism and infighting.
