Ahead Of Assembly Polls, Congress Appoints MP Deepak Baij As Chhattisgarh Unit Chief

Congress on Wednesday appointed Bastar MP Deepak Baij as President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel with Bastar MP Deepak Baij

New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday appointed Bastar MP Deepak Baij as President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC). While making the announcement, the party thanked the outgoing PCC President Mohan Markam for his contribution to the party.

 

The announcement comes ahead of the state Assembly polls due later in the year.

 

"The Congress president has appointed Deepak Baij, MP, as president of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC), with immediate effect," an official statement said.

Congress appoints Deepak Baij as President of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee pic.twitter.com/eOoRYOjwtd

— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2023

"The party appreciates the contribution of the outgoing PCC president Mohan Markam, MLA," the order issued by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal read.

Baij was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Bastar constituency in Chhattisgarh.

Markam was appointed as the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief in June 2019 and was due to be replaced. He is an MLA from the Kondagaon constituency.

Meanwhile, CM Bhupesh Baghel, Deputy CM TS Singh Deo, and the party’s in-charge for the state Selja Kumari, on Wednesday observed 'Maun Satyagraha' (silent protest) in solidarity with party leader Rahul Gandhi.

 

After participating in the protest, Baghel said that the BJP-led government at the Centre was scared of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi because of the enthusiastic response his nationwide foot march has generated and was therefore trying to suppress his voice. 

 

“The central government is under pressure and scared after Rahul ji's padyatra (referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra). Recent (election) results from states have made the Centre even more nervous. Therefore, it was trying to suppress his voice," he said.

 

The agitation was held to express solidarity with Gandhi after the Gujarat High Court dismissed his plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark.