News Analysis India

Tag: Bhupesh Baghel

  • Bhupesh Baghel will continue to be Chhattisgarh CM: State home min amid leadership change speculation

    By PTI

    RAIPUR: Amid speculation about a possible change of guard in the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, state Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu on Sunday said Bhupesh Baghel will continue to be the chief minister.

    Notably, Sahu was also one of the contenders for the CM’s post after Congress came to power in Chhattisgarh in December 2018.

    “We believe those who become chief minister, they continue to hold the post.

    According to circumstances, sometimes they are shifted in just two-four months while sometimes they last for 15-20 years.

    As of now Bhupesh Baghel is the chief minister and he will continue (on the post),” Sahu told reporters in Gaurella-Pendra-Marwahi (GPM) district when asked about the speculation regarding the change of guard.

    The speculation started doing rounds after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as the chief minister in June 2021.

    Loyalists of Congress leader TS Singh Deo had claimed the party high-command had agreed in 2018 for a rotational chief ministership between Bhupesh Baghel and Singhdeo.

    Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge P L Punia had denied that any such deal was struck in 2018 when the party came to power by dislodging the BJP.

    The Congress leadership had summoned both Baghel and Singh Deo to Delhi in August to resolve the feud.

    It appeared that Baghel had won that round when he told reporters upon return that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had agreed to visit the state ‘on his invitation’, and those talking about rotating the CM’s post were promoting political instability.

    Singh Deo had said the decision regarding the leadership change lies with the party high command.

    Several Congress MLAs, considered close to Baghel, visited Delhi multiple times in the past two months apparently to express solidarity with the CM.

  • Chhattisgarh CM inaugurates renovated Chandkhuri Mata Kaushalya temple

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: A renovated ‘Mata Kaushalya’ temple was inaugurated by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, under the state government’s ambitious ‘Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit’ project at Chandkhuri about 30 km from Raipur, on Thursday.

    The only ancient temple of Mata Kaushalya in the country is at Chandakhuri, cited as the birthplace of Lord Ram’s mother, where the state cabinet turned up during the grand event putting together bhajan, discourse and cultural programme.

    A 51-feet high statue of Lord Ram was also unveiled by the CM during the occasion. 

    The state government has outlined its scheme on creating an impressive temple of Mata Kaushalya early last year when the Ayodhya was getting ready for the bhoomi pujan ceremony to kick-start the construction of Ram Temple.

    “Lord Ram’s maternal home Chandakhuri will become as reverent and imposing as any place in mythological tales. Chhattisgarh has a glorious past associated with Ramayana. We envisioned Ram-Rajya, where there is equality, compassion and brotherhood, as conceived by Mahatma Gandhi,”, said the chief minister. The renovation and beautification project of Mata Kaushalya temple incurred Rs 15.78 crore.

    In Chhattisgarh, Lord Ram emerged as the engaging subject with Baghel, who has been recently appointed by the AICC as senior observer for the Uttar Pradesh polls, seen consistent in his apparent endeavour not to let the arch political rival BJP gain an advantage over it.

    Congress-led Chhattisgarh government has already executed its concept plan on developing and beautifying the key locations along the route of Lord Ram’s 14 years of exile —‘Ram Van Gaman Path’, from north to southern part of the state as the religious tourism.

    The BJP taking a jibe on the Baghel government’s move, said that now the Congress realises the existence of Lord Ram.

    “In fact the programme of the state government is nothing more than a pretended show-off by Bhupesh Baghel who is creating misapprehension, as the Congress has always questioned the existence of Lord Ram”, said Vishnu Deo Sai, the state BJP president.

    A three-day mega cultural programme has been planned at Chandkhuri where the noted artists would show their captivating performances. 

  • WATCH | Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel stopped at Lucknow airport, disallowed to visit Congress office

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was prevented from coming out of Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport Tuesday when he arrived to visit the state Congress office and meet party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

    Baghel sat on a dharna at the airport after being disallowed to go to the Uttar Pradesh Congress office amid widespread protest over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

    “I am being stopped from going out of Lucknow airport without any orders,” he wrote in tweet with a photo of him sitting on the floor at the airport.

    pic.twitter.com/xoZpzNswwC
    — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) October 5, 2021
    The Chhattisgarh chef minister reasoned with the police on duty as to why he was being stopped but to no avail, a Congress spokesman said.

    “Why am I being stopped? I am not going to Lakhimpur where there are prohibitory orders in place.

    I am only going to PCC (Congress office),” he asked the police personnel.

    Talking to mediapersons at the airport, Baghel said he does not plan to go to Lakhimpur Kheri but to the Congress office where he was scheduled to address a press conference later in the day.

    Baghel also said he has come to meet party national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is currently in custody at Sitapur.

    The Uttar Pradesh government had Monday asked the Lucknow airport authority not to allow Chhattisgarh chief minister and the Punjab deputy chief minister who had to visit Lakhimpur Kheri in view of the violence that erupted there.

    Eight people were killed Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

    “After the incident in Lakhimpur, the district magistrate has imposed prohibitory orders there to maintain law and order.

    It is requested that you should not allow Chhattisgarh CM and Punjab deputy CM at the CCS Airport in Lucknow,’ Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi had said in a letter dated October 3 to the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

    ALSO WATCH:

    Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: What all happened in 24 hours at the farmers’ protest:

  • ‘Everything is fine’: Chhattisgarh MLAs return from Delhi amid leadership change buzz

    By PTI

    RAIPUR: Amid speculation about a possible change of guard in the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, at least 35 MLAs of the party camping in Delhi for the last few days, returned to Raipur on Monday evening.

    Most of them said “everything is fine” in the state Congress after landing at the airport here in a special aircraft.

    One of the legislators said some of his colleagues are still staying in Delhi.

    After reaching Raipur, these MLAs were seen showing victory signs.

    When asked about the reason they said everything is fine in Chhattisgarh currently helmed by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

    Sources in Congress had said these MLAs had gone to the national capital to express solidarity with the Chhattisgarh chief minister.

    However, the majority of the legislators who returned on Monday maintained they had gone on a personal visit.

    “We had gone (Delhi) for some personal work. When we all MLAs met there, we also tried to meet our state in-charge PL Punia but he was out of Delhi so we could not meet him,” Keshkal MLA Sant Ram Netam told reporters at the Raipur airport.

    “Rahul Gandhi’s tour of Chhattisgarh is in the pipeline. We all wanted to request him through Punia to visit our respective districts”, he added.

    Netam added, “everything is fine. We will keep visiting Delhi for our work and meeting our leaders”.

    Mahasamund MLA Vinod Sevanlal Chandrakar said, “All is well. There is nothing of sorts like the speculations in media about the leadership change in Chhattisgarh.”

    “The way the media is creating an uproar that the CM will be replaced; there is nothing like that. These things are projected by the BJP and RSS,” he claimed.

    Talking to PTI, Chandrakar said 35 MLAs returned to Raipur on Monday evening while some legislators were still staying in Delhi.

    He said the MLAs’ trip to Delhi should not be given a political colour.

    Dharamjaigarh MLA Laljeet Singh Rathiya said he and other legislators had gone to extend support to the chief minister but refused to elaborate.

    Rathiya said the MLAs came to know from Punia that Rahul Gandhi would visit Raipur on October 7 to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the “Ram Gaman Tourist Circuit” in Chandkhuri village in the Raipur district.

    Political circles in Chhattisgarh have been rife with speculation about replacing the chief minister after the MLAs, considered close to Baghel, flew to Delhi on different days last week.

    The CM had said the visit by Congress MLAs to Delhi should not be seen through the prism of politics.

    Chhattisgarh Health Minister T S Singh Deo, who is apparently seeking to replace Baghel, too played down the visit by MLAs to Delhi saying it should not be made an issue.

    About the possible leadership change, Singh Deo had reiterated that the Congress high command had seized of the matter.

    The buzz about possible leadership change began after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as chief minister in June 2021.

    The Singh Deo camp had claimed the Congress brass in 2018 had agreed to hand over the CM’s post to him after he completed half of his five-year term, apparently to prevent factionalism.

  • Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Flights of Chhattisgarh CM Baghel, Punjab deputy CM denied permission to land in Lucknow

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: The additional chief secretary of the UP government on Monday dashed off a letter to the director of Airport Authority of India (AAI) in Lucknow asking the officials to not grant any permission to the chief minister of Chhattisgarh and deputy CM of Punjab to land in the city.

    Following this, CM Bhupesh Baghel may alter his plan and instead proceed to the national capital, official sources said. The senior Congress leaders were scheduled to visit the families of those who died in the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri.

    At least eight persons, including four farmers, were killed when a farmers’ protest took a violent turn in Lakhimpur Kheri district, about 130 km from Uttar Pradesh state capital on Sunday.

    Earlier in the day, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders were detained at Sitapur. Citing the law and order situation at Janpad Lakhimpur Kheri, the UP ACS Avnish Kumar Awasthi has asked the AAI director of the Choudhary Charan Singh International airport, Lucknow to refuse permission to the two senior Congress leaders to land today.

    “Section 144 is imposed at Lakhimpur Kheri but why are you stopping us to land in Lucknow. This move is nothing but to trample and suppress the rights of the citizens. The entire nation is watching how farmers are being ruthlessly dealt with by the BJP government”, Baghel asserted.

    In his letter the ACS told the director that the Lakhimpur Kheri district administration has imposed Section 144 of CrPC, following the incident on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

  • About 20 Chhattisgarh MLAs stay put in Delhi, CM Baghel says visit ‘not political’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Amid speculations over the possibility of a leadership change in Chhattisgarh, about 20 Congress MLAs known to be close to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel are camped in Delhi in what is being seen by many as a show of strength.

    However, Baghel, in Raipur, said the visit by the Congress MLAs to Delhi should not be seen through the prism of politics.

    When asked on Saturday about the MLAs’ trip to Delhi, the chief minister said there is no ban on the legislators going somewhere and they are independent.

    “It is not a political movement. They will visit and return,” he added.

    The remarks came amid speculations over the possibility of a leadership change in Chhattisgarh where cabinet minister T S Singhdeo is vying for the chief minister post.

    MLA Brihaspat Singh, who is camped in Delhi, reiterated on Saturday that there is no question of change of leadership in the state and the government will complete its term of five years under the leadership of Baghel.

    He also said the MLAs present in Delhi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by visiting Rajghat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

    “We are here to meet AICC in charge of Chhattisgarh P L Punia and are waiting for him. We want to convey that Rahul Gandhi should extend the duration of his proposed tour to the state so that all MLAs can benefit from it,” said Singh, the party MLA from the Ramanujganj seat of the state.

    When contacted, Punia had said on Thursday that he was in Lucknow and had no information about the MLAs being in Delhi as none of them had contacted him.

    According to sources, so far about 20 MLAs have reached Delhi and some more legislators are expected to come to the national capital.

    Meanwhile, the Congress appointed Baghel as a senior observer for next year’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

    Baghel supporters see this as a positive sign.

    A legislator supporting Baghel said, “Chhattisgarh is among the leading states of the country in terms of development under the leadership of our chief minister. This is the reason why the party high command has full faith in him.”

    In his remarks in Raipur, Baghel asserted that his state can never become Punjab, and said the two states bear only one similarity — that of having numbers in their names.

    The Congress has been in turmoil in Punjab after Amarinder Singh quit as the chief minister and the party’s state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu tendered his resignation from his post ahead of the crucial assembly elections in the state early next year.

    “Chhattisgarh will always remain Chhattisgarh. It cannot become Punjab. The two states have only one similarity that both have numbers in their names,” Baghel told reporters at the helipad in Raipur when asked that the BJP has equated Chhattisgarh and Punjab with the turmoil in the ruling Congress.

    “Punjab is the land of ‘punj’ (five) ‘aab’ (water). It is made up of five rivers. Similarly, Chhattisgarh has derived its name from ‘chhattis’ (thirty-six) ‘garh’ (fort). No other states have numbers in their names. There is no other similarity between the two states,” he added.

    The demand for a change of guard reared its head in Chhattisgarh after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as chief minister in June 2021.

    The camp of cabinet minister T S Singhdeo has claimed that the high command in 2018 had agreed to hand over the post to him after the government completed half its term.

    The Congress high command summoned both Baghel and Singhdeo to Delhi in August to resolve the feud.

    It appeared that Baghel had managed to avert, for the time being, a leadership change when he told reporters in Raipur recently that Rahul Gandhi had agreed to visit the state “on his invitation”, and those talking about rotating the CM’s post were promoting political instability.

    However, there has been constant speculation over the matter.

  • Congress replaces four vice-presidents, three general secretaries in Chhattisgarh unit

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday appointed additional office-bearers in the party’s Chhattisgarh unit, replacing four vice-presidents as well as three general secretaries.

    The development came amid speculation over the possibility of a leadership change in Chhattisgarh where cabinet minister T S Singh Deo is vying for the chief minister post.

    Arun Singhania, P R Khunte, Ambika Markam and Vani Rao were appointed vice-presidents in the Congress’ state unit, replacing Girish Devangan, Atal Srivastava, Bhanu Pratap Singh and Padma Manhar, according to a party statement.

    Vasudev Yadav, Amarjeet Chawla and Sumitra Dhritlahre were appointed general secretaries in place of Dwarika Prasad Yadav, Uttam Vasudev and Pankaj Sharma.

    Sushil Anand Shukla was appointed head of the communication department of the party’s Chhattisgarh unit in place of Shailesh Nitin Trivedi.

    Four new DCC chiefs were also appointed.

    In another appointment, the Congress named Neeraj Pandey the head of NSUI’s Chhattisgarh unit, replacing Smash Sharma.

    Manjul Tripathi was named NSUI Madhya Pradesh unit chief, replacing Vipin Wankhede.

    The party also announced its candidate for assembly bypolls — Chalrosanga Ralte for Tuirial in Mizoram; Balmoori Venkat Narsingh Rao for Huzurabad in Telangana; and Nitendra Singh for Prithvipur in Madhya Pradesh.

    The Congress also appointed K Abdul Jabbar as the chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’ minority department.

  • Amid turmoil over power-sharing formula for CM post, AICC gives vital role to Bhupendra Baghel

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: Amid the simmering political turmoil over the mid-term change of leadership in the ruling Chhattisgarh Congress, the AICC has given Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel a vital responsibility — that of the senior party observer for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in 2022.

    During the last couple of months, CM Baghel and senior minister TS Singhdeo were seen engaging, individually, with the party leadership in Delhi, reportedly over the 2.5-year power sharing formula in Chhattisgarh. 

    The speculations over the leadership issue in the state re-gained when around 20-odd state Congress legislators and leaders, most of them first time MLAs, camped in Delhi to act as “pressure group” against any change of guard. The act was repeated again, a month after the first one, in the national capital by the Congress leaders.

    Though all the MLAs and political leaders cited their trip to Delhi as “personal” adding confusion and suspense. Even CM Baghel said “political leaders (legislators) keep going to Delhi and everyone has a right to visit”.

    “But Chhattisgarh cannot become a Punjab”, the chief minister affirmed.

    Plausible reasons for appointing Bhupesh Baghel as observer

    A known OBC face of the party
    Led Congress secured a thumping majority in 2018 Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh
    He is a farmer, so might carry an obvious appeal for the Congress party UP polls owing to his pro-farmer policy implemented in the state
    One of the very few senior Congress leaders who aggressively attacks      BJP, RSS

    “Look like the high command is not in a position to give an assurance to Baghel as it might antagonise the TS Singhdeo camp and further might reflect poorly on Rahul Gandhi, who is believed to have given the commitment over 2.5 years power sharing formula on rotation for the chief minister post”, said political analyst Parivesh Mishra.

    Giving commitment to Baghel will also indirectly mean that Rahul Gandhi is going back on his promises. 

    “What if that might lead to Singhdeo’s resignation from the state cabinet. These MLAs cannot go to Delhi without the knowledge of the CM. Why are senior Congress MLAs or leaders not going but mostly the first time legislators are?”, wondered Mishra.

    Apparently the Congress high command is not in a position to give an assurance to both of them on when Baghel will be replaced. 

    “Owing to such a fluid situation we wish to assure the party leadership that CM has all the support from the MLAs and there is good governance prevailing in Chhattisgarh. We are not sure how long the CM will continue”, said a source close to the Bhupesh Baghel camp.

    So far none of the MLAs who are camping in Delhi for the last four days, in support for Baghel, got an audience from the party leadership.

    Since the Congress leadership is facing a crisis in Punjab, it appears to be weak. So Baghel and his supporters want to create an impression before the party high command that with so many leaders with him, there is no point in change of leadership in the state.

    This evidently seems as another attempt of a show of strength.

    Now, appointing Baghel as the AICC observer also hints of a possibility that he might continue as the chief minister at least till the UP elections and the issue of power sharing arrangement remain pending.

    Meanwhile, Singhdeo cited the continuing political situation as an opportunity rather than a tug-of-war within the party as he reiterated that the high command has reserved its decision (on change of leadership).

  • Amid turmoil over power-sharing formula for CM post, AICC gives vital role to Bhupesh Baghel

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: Amid a simmering political turmoil over the mid-term change of leadership in the ruling Chhattisgarh Congress, the AICC has given Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel a vital responsibility — that of the senior party observer for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in 2022.

    During the last couple of months, CM Baghel and senior minister TS Singhdeo were seen engaging, individually, with the party leadership in Delhi, reportedly over the 2.5-year power sharing formula in Chhattisgarh. 

    The speculations over the leadership issue in the state re-gained ground when close to 20 state Congress legislators and leaders, most of them first time MLAs, camped in Delhi to act as “pressure group” against any change of guard. The act was repeated again, a month after the first one, in the national capital by the Congress leaders.

    However, all the MLAs and political leaders cited their trip to Delhi as “personal” adding confusion and suspense. Even CM Baghel said “political leaders keep going to Delhi and everyone has a right to visit”.

    “But Chhattisgarh cannot become Punjab”, the chief minister affirmed.

    Plausible reasons for appointing Bhupesh Baghel as observer:

    A known OBC face of the Congress party
    Led Congress and secured a thumping majority in 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls
    He is a farmer, so might carry an obvious appeal for the Congress party in 2022 UP polls owing to his pro-farmer policy implemented in the state
    One of the very few senior Congress leaders who aggressively attacks  BJP, RSS

    “Looks like the high command is not in a position to give an assurance to Baghel as it might antagonise the TS Singhdeo camp which might reflect poorly on Rahul Gandhi, who is believed to have given the commitment over 2.5 years power sharing formula on rotation for the chief minister post”, said political analyst Parivesh Mishra.

    Giving commitment to Baghel will also indirectly mean that Rahul Gandhi is going back on his promises. 

    “What if that might lead to Singhdeo’s resignation from the state cabinet. These MLAs cannot go to Delhi without the knowledge of the CM. Why are senior Congress MLAs or leaders not going but mostly the first time legislators are?”, wondered Mishra.

    Apparently the Congress high command is not in a position to give an assurance to both of them on when Baghel will be replaced. 

    “Owing to such a fluid situation we wish to assure the party leadership that CM has all the support from the MLAs and there is good governance prevailing in Chhattisgarh. We are not sure how long the CM will continue”, said a source close to the Bhupesh Baghel camp.

    So far none of the MLAs who are camping in Delhi since the last four days, in support for Baghel, got an audience from the party leadership.

    Since the Congress leadership is facing a crisis in Punjab, it appears to be weak. So Baghel and his supporters want to create an impression before the party high command that with so many leaders with him, there is no point in change of leadership in the state.

    This evidently seems as another attempt of a show of strength.

    Now, appointing Baghel as the AICC observer also hints of a possibility that he might continue as the chief minister at least till the UP elections and the issue of power sharing arrangement remain pending.

    Meanwhile, Singhdeo cited the continuing political situation as an opportunity rather than a tug-of-war within the party as he reiterated that the high command has reserved its decision (on change of leadership).

  • Amid buzz of a leadership change, Bhupesh Baghel made poll observer in Uttar Pradesh

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI/RAIPUR:  Amid speculation of a change of guard in Chhattisgarh, the Congress high command on Saturday appointed chief minister Bhupesh Baghel as a senior observer for the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. 

    The appointment of Baghel amid persisting infighting in the party has raised further doubts over his continuation as the CM. But talking to reporters in Raipur, he asserted that his state can never become Punjab and that the two states bear only one similarity, of numbers in their names.

    “Chhattisgarh will always remain Chhattisgarh. It cannot become Punjab. The two states have only one similarity that both have numbers in their names,” Baghel told reporters at the helipad here when pointed out that the BJP was equating Chhattisgarh and Punjab over turmoil in the Congress.

    Plausible reasons for appointing Bhupesh Baghel as observer:

    A known OBC face of the Congress party
    Led Congress and secured a thumping majority in 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls
    He is a farmer, so might carry an obvious appeal for the Congress party in 2022 UP polls owing to his pro-farmer policy implemented in the state
    One of the very few senior Congress leaders who aggressively attacks  BJP, RSS

    “Punjab is land of punj (five) aab (water). It is made up of five rivers. Similarly Chhattisgarh has derived its name from ‘chhattis’ (thirty six) ‘garh’ (fort). No other states have numbers in their names. There is no other similarity between the two states,” he added.

    The speculation over a leadership change is also because 20-odd Congress legislators and leaders, most of them first time MLAs and known to close to the CM, are again camping in Delhi. Sources said they have been sent to act as a “pressure group” against any change of guard.

    While the MLAs cited “personal” reasons for their visit to Delhi, Baghel said there was no ban on the legislators from going anywhere they wanted to and they are independent. “It is not a political movement. You ask if it is a political movement. They will visit and return,” he added.

    Sources said the legislators have not been able to meet the party high command to express their support for Baghel. They said the high command appears to be adamant on executing a change of guard in Chhattisgarh.  “Baghel may be replaced by TS Singh Deo. The appointment of Baghel as an observer is the first move before the change,” the sources said. Meanwhile, Singh Deo cited the ongoing political situation as an opportunity rather than a tug-of-war within the party.

    ‘Will do my best for the party in new role’Terming it a big responsibility, Baghel said, “The Congress president has directed me to be a senior observer for UP. I will try my best to live up to the expectations of the leadership.” ‘Parivartan ka sankalp, Congress hi vikalp’ (Resolve is of change, Cong is alternative), he tweeted.