CM Baghel Club In Delhi For Power Show. TS Singh Deo Says 'Ready To Accept Party Decision'

Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and his supporters, including ministers, legislators and other party functionaries are set to arrive in national capital at 3 PM today for an apparent show of strength.

Rift Between CM Bhupesh Baghel and T S Singh Deo (File Photo)

New Delhi: Amid rumours of a growing rift in the Chattisgarh unit of Congress party and speculation about a leadership change, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is set to meet the party's senior leadership in Delhi later today.

Baghel and his supporters, including ministers, legislators and other party functionaries are set to arrive in the national capital at 3 PM today for an apparent show of strength. According to a report by news agency PTI, several party MLAs who are close to Baghel flew to the national capital late on Thursday night.

Ready To Accept Party's Decision: TS Singh Deo

Meanwhile, Health Minister TS Singh Deo said that he is ready to take on any responsibility, and that the party high command will decide who the chief minister should be.

Speaking about the reported two-and-a-half-year power-sharing deal between the two senior leaders, TS Singh Deo said on Thursday: "This was never spoken in the party. Such statements have been given by the media. The party has to decide what we have to do. If a person plays around in a team, then it comes to every man's mind to become a captain. The high command will take the decision. There are often disputes between two brothers, whatever will be the decision of the party, I will agree."

Earlier this week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo in an effort to resolve the power tussle between the two senior leaders in the state.

After that meeting, Baghel told reporters that various schemes of Chhattisgarh were discussed in great detail. The party's Chhattisgarh in-charge, PL Punia, who also attended the meeting, said that there was no discussion on any change of leadership for the post of chief minister in Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh Congress Infighting

Similar to troubles in Punjab and Rajasthan over power tussle between senior leaders, Singh Deo and Baghel have been at loggerheads in Chhattisgarh, with media reports quoting the former as claiming that the leadership at the time of the election victory in 2018 had proposed a rotation of the chief minister's post after 2.5 years.

Supporters of Singh Deo claim that there was an agreement on giving him and Baghel the chief minister post for two and a half years each and now Singh Deo should be made the CM. The Congress high command has not given any indication of removing Baghel from the post.