Chhattisgarh issues notice to news portal over report citing minister

In a letter written to the state public relations department on Monday, Chhattisgarh heath minister TS Singh Deo called the piece a “planned conspiracy” to “pollute” the political environment of the state

RAIPUR: Even as rumblings of a power struggle within the Chhattisgarh Congress continue over a reported power-sharing arrangement between chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and health minister TS Singh Deo, the latter has written to the state public relations department asking for action against a news portal that carried a report saying Baghel would resign on August 17 and attributed it to him.

Senior Congress leader and Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singh Deo. (PTI file)

In the letter written to the department on Monday, Singh Deo called the piece a “planned conspiracy” to “pollute” the political environment of the state. CM Baghel heads the department of public relations.

The report carried by portal TPC 24, said, “TS Singh Deo ka daava 17 ko mukhyamantri denge isteefa, idhar dabaav se beparvaah lambi paari khelne ke andaaz mein , le rahe hain kayee bade faisle…” (TS Singh Deo claimed CM will resign on 17, but CM instead of the pressure is taking big decisions).

In response, the public relations department on Tuesday sent a notice to the portal citing Singh Deo’s contention and asking them to file a corrigendum or face legal action, an official said.

Editor of TPC-24, Mahendra Sahu, however, said he has not received any notice from the public relations department so far. “We will give proper reply to the notice after we get it from a proper channel,” said Sahu.

This is the latest in a series of developments that underline the fraught political atmosphere within the Congress, emanating from a reported power-sharing agreement between Baghel and Singh Deo after the party swept to power in December 2019.

On June 17, the day when the Congress government completed two and a half years, Singh Deo called Baghel on the phone, congratulated for his term, and then reminded him about the post-sharing formula as well, people familiar with the matters said.

In response to the near constant speculation, both leaders have taken the stance that decisions will be taken by the high command, and they will follow the instructions from Delhi.

However, two months since June 17, Singh Deo is in Delhi apparently to meet the top Congress leaders seeking clarity on the post-sharing formula. When asked about his purpose of Delhi trip, Singh Deo told HT, “I don’t want to politicise my visit.”

He further said that earlier this month, he was in Delhi for a health check-up and had stopped in the national capital while returning from Tripura, where he was sent by the party high command.

On July 27, the differences within the party came on the fore when Singh Deo walked out of the state assembly demanding clarity from his own government over allegations that the minister’s relative was 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 party’s state in-charge PL Punia, the issue was resolved, and Singh Deo returned to assembly after Singh apologised for his statements against the minister.

Some within the party believe Singh Deo was also continuously ignored in some of the important meetings during Covid-19 pandemic despite him being the health minister, in the last 16 months, which further escalated tension between the two leaders.

Last week, assembly speaker and senior Congress leader Charan Das Mahant, who was also seen as in the running for CM in 2018, added to the speculation when he told reporters that four senior leaders – Baghel, Singh Deo, home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu and himself – had played the semifinals 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 added.

The main opposition Bhartiya Janata Party claimed the issue of power-sharing between two leaders should be resolved for the benefit of the state. It, however, trained its guns on the Congress, and said the animosity was harming the state. “Although, the tiff is an internal issue of Congress, but as per the statements of party leaders, it seems that there was a formula for CM post-sharing. The senior leaders of Congress should resolve the issue as soon as possible. Secondly, the people of the state are suffering from this struggle. We all know that Singh Deo, who is also the health minister of the state, was ignored in important meetings of cabinet due to which people suffered,” said former CM and BJP vice-president Raman Singh.

Political commentators in the state believe the Congress and its workers are hoping to see the issue resolved with a sense of finality. Parivesh Mishra, a political commentator in the state, said, “Any situation that forces the Congress worker to take sides is generally not acceptable. Except for a handful of those who aspire for office and stand a serious chance of achieving it, there is nothing at stake for the ordinary party worker at the ground level. The vast majority of the party workers would like to see the present controversy over as soon as possible.”