Chhattisgarh Congress MLAs Storm Delhi Amid Punjab Turmoil, Another Crisis Awaits Gandhis?

Over dozen of Chhattisgarh Congress MLAs reached Delhi late at night on Wednesday while the party leadership is facing a crisis in Punjab.

Demand for change in Chhattisgarh leadership appears to be escalating again

New Delhi: While Congress is busy battling the political storm in Punjab after state PCC chief Navjot Sidhu's resignation, a new crisis likely awaits the Gandhis as over a dozen of Congress MLAs reached Delhi on Wednesday.

The political heat appears to be once again escalating in the Chattisgarh as the suspense over the change in leadership in the Congress-ruled state continues. 

The political circle in the state was abuzz with speculation that the legislators have gone to express their support to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

However, the MLAs who have reached the national capital said their visit was linked with the proposed tour of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to the state.

"Around 15-16 party MLAs have reached Delhi and are staying at different places. Rahul ji's visit to Chhattisgarh is proposed. We wanted to convey a request to Rahul ji through our state in-charge P L Punia ji that he should extend a little the duration of his tour so that all the MLAs could get benefit of it," said Brihaspat Singh, the party MLA from Ramanujganj seat of state, reported PTI.

"We have come to Delhi just to make this request and we will speak to Punia sir on Thursday in this regard. Our visit should not be seen in other way," he told PTI over phone from Delhi.

When asked whether their visit was aimed at expressing support to Baghel, Singh said, "Our party has 70 MLAs (in the 90-member state assembly), of whom 60 legislators had last time told everything to Punia ji. When there is blessing of the high command, support of the MLAs and the chief minister is working well, then no such issue (of leadership change) exists."

He also denied the alleged tussle between Baghel and state health minister T S Singh Deo and said that both the leaders had recently shared the stage and exchanged sweets. He also said that they respect each other.

"The situation in Chhattisgarh is not similar to Punjab. The high command of any party would not put the entire government at stake just to make one leader happy...," he said without naming anyone.

The demand for a change of guard reared its head after Baghel completed two and a half years as chief minister in June 2021. Singh Deo camp claimed that the high command in 2018 had agreed to hand over the post to him after the government completed half its term.

Congress in-charge of the state P L Punia has time and again denied that any such deal was struck in 2018 when the party came to power by dislodging the BJP.

Meanwhile, in Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh, who quit as Punjab Chief Minister recently amid a bitter feud, had an hour-long meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, setting off speculation about a change of camp. Though, Capt denied all speculations and said he met the Home Minister to discuss farmer's protest.

(With PTI inputs)