'No Talks On Leadership Change': Congress After Rahul Gandhi Meets CM Baghel, TS Singh Deo On Power Tussle

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met CM Bhupesh Baghel and state Health Minister T S Singh Deo in an effort to resolve the power tussle between the two senior leaders in the state.

Rahul Gandhi meets CM Bhupesh Baghel and T S Singh Deo together on Tuesday (File Photo)

New Delhi: While the senior Congress leaders are still dousing the fires of internal strife in its Punjab and Rajasthan, the grand old party now moves to Chhattisgarh to resolve the widening rift between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and his rival and Cabinet colleague T S Singh Deo.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met CM Bhupesh Baghel and state Health Minister T S Singh Deo in an effort to resolve the power tussle between the two senior leaders in the state. Congress sources said that Baghel and Singh Deo reached Gandhi's residence - 12 Tughlaq Lane on Tuesday morning.

AICC in-charge for Chhattisgarh P L Punia and AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal were also present during the meeting convened by Rahul Gandhi at his residence.

Post meeting, CM Bhupesh Baghel told reporters that various schemes of Chhattisgarh were discussed in great detail during meeting with Rahul Gandhi. 

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh in-charge PL Punia, who also attended the meeting, said that there was no discussion of change in leadership for post of Chief Minister in Chhattisgarh. 

Before the meeting, both leaders had said they would abide by the decision of the party high command. While Singh Deo said "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are our leaders and we would abide with whatever they say," Baghel has also said that whatever decision the leadership takes will be followed.

Similar to troubles in Punjab and Rajasthan over power tussle between senior leaders, Singh Deo and Baghel have been at loggerheads in Chhattisgarh with the former 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 the Chief Minister for two and a half years and now Singh deo should be made the Chief Minister. The Congress high command has not given any indication of removing Baghel from the post of Chief Minister.