'Clarify who is trying to destabilise Chhattisgarh govt': BJP MLA asks Baghel

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Ajay Chandrakar said that Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s statement “will affect the development” of the state.

Referring to Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s “political instability” statement pertaining to the power sharing formula in the state, BJP legislator from Kurud constituency, Ajay Chandrakar, said that the former should give clarification.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel completed two-and-a-half years in office in June this year. (PTI Photo)

“Honourable chief minister (Chhattisgarh Congress), the post of 'chief minister' is not of an individual but it is an institution. Who is trying to destabilise the government of three-fourth majority? 'Delhi Darbar' or someone else? You should clarify. Your (Baghel’s) statement will affect the development of Chhattisgarh,” Chandrakar tweeted in Hindi tagging Baghel and Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge PL Punia.

Notably, Baghel on Wednesday said that those talking about a two-and-a-half-year power-sharing deal with Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singh Deo “would never succeed” and were made to bring in political instability in the state. The reports come after Baghel along with Deo and Punia returned to Raipur on Wednesday following a meeting with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. The meeting happened amid reports of a power tussle between Baghel and Deo.

Chandrakar wasn’t the only BJP leader who spoke on the “political instability” remark by Baghel as party MLA and Leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh Assembly Dharamlal Kaushik said it seemed fighting over the CM’s chair isn’t over within the ruling Congress yet. “The way the CM said that discussions were held about development (during meetings with senior leaders in Delhi), it seems the fight for the chair is not over yet,” Kaushik was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

He added that this fight has only begun and it’s “going to be long.”

Kaushik also said Baghel, who calls himself a farmer’s son, should answer as to why “injustice” was done on farmers of the state under his leadership. “Farmers have allegedly committed suicide. He cannot understand the pain of farmers as he focused on the chair for two-and-a-half years,” the BJP leader added.

The Chhattisgarh chief minister received a grand welcome at the Raipur airport on Wednesday following his return from the national capital. Speaking to the reporters at the venue, he said that he will step down when Sonia and Rahul “orders” him to.

Meanwhile, Punia said on Wednesday that there was no discourse on transfer of power during the meeting with Rahul, and instead discussions were held on various schemes and projects being rolled-out in Chhattisgarh.

Following Congress’ triumph in the 2018 Assembly polls, speculations were rife that Deo – another contender in the fray, would be given the nod to take over as the head of the state after two-and-a-half years. Baghel completed his two-and-a-half years in office in June.

Tensions between Deo and Baghel intensified when the former had walked out of the state Assembly demanding clarity from the government over allegations that one of his kin was involved in an alleged attack on Congress legislator Brihaspat Singh.