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'It could've been avoided': Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Jashpur incident
On Sunday, Congress' former Jashpur unit president Pawan Agarwal was pushed by party workers and was stopped from completing his speech at a party workers conference in the district. Video shared by news agency ANI showed Congress leaders getting into an altercation with Agarwal, who reportedly started speaking about state health minister TS Singh Deo.
A day after a clash broke out between the Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Monday that the incident was unfortunate and should not have taken place. “It could have been avoided,” Baghel told news agency ANI.
On Sunday, Congress' former Jashpur unit president Pawan Agarwal was pushed by party workers and was stopped from completing his speech at a party workers conference in the district.
Video shared by news agency ANI showed Congress leaders getting into an altercation with Agarwal, who reportedly started speaking about Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singh Deo.
Speaking to news agency ANI, chief minister Baghel said, “Party's state in-charge PL Punia has clarified everything, one should not spoil the atmosphere by raising questions again and again after that. The incident could have been avoided. It was unfortunate, it should not have taken place.”
Also Read| Chhattisgarh Cong leader tries to make a case for TS Singh Deo, stopped midway
Moments after the assault on Sunday, Congress leader Pawan Agarwal said that TS Singh Deo waited for two and half years to become the chief minister of Chhattisgarh and it was time for Bhupesh Baghel to leave the top position. Agarwal also pointed out that it is due to Deo and Baghel that Congress became the ruling government in Chhattisgarh.
For months, a power-sharing crisis has been going on between Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo. As the Baghel led-government finished over two and a half years of office, supporters of Deo have been demanding a rotational tenure for the chief minister.
On the other hand, there is resentment growing in the Baghel camp over a possible change of guard amid the issue of rotational tenure for the CM's post.
Last week, TS Singh Deo arrived at New Delhi on October 18, days after chief minister Baghel visited the national capital and met senior Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi. However, functionaries close to Baghel, denied that the meeting had anything to do with a possible change in guard.
Apart from Deo and Baghel, two other prominent Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh- home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu and speaker Charan Das Mahant are eyeing the chief minister's post.
In 2018, Congress won the state assembly elections with a thumping majority, as it secured 68 of the total 90 seats. Bhupesh Baghel, who was then the state unit president, was appointed as the chief minister.
(With ANI inputs)
