Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe

Chhattisgarh Congress president Bhupesh Baghel may be new chief minister

New Delhi | ByHT Corresondent
Dec 15, 2018 11:22 PM IST

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, who is said to be a key player behind the party’s impressive win in the state’s assembly elections, will likely be picked as the new chief minister, sources said.

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, who is said to be a key player behind the party’s impressive win in the state’s assembly elections, will likely be picked as the new chief minister, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday.

The newly elected Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will meet on Sunday to elect its leader, after which the party will stake its claim to form the government in Chhattisgarh. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held on December 17, said the person quoted above, asking not to be named.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The process to pick the Chhattisgarh CM took longer than the announcements in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after the Congress’s victories in the heartland states because of divided opinion within the state leadership of the party, another leader said.

For full coverage on Chhattisgarh elections, click here

The Congress, which struggled to make electoral inroads since 2013, on Tuesday handed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) its biggest defeat in three crucial heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, in a boost to the main opposition ahead of next year’s general election.

With only 15 seats, the BJP suffered a big defeat in Chhattisgarh. The Congress won in 68 seats in the House of 90.

For Chhattisgarh, the party leadership had first zeroed in on Congress Working Committee member Tamradhwaj Sahu for the CM’s post, but the move was strongly resisted by both state chief Baghel and former legislature party leader TS Singh Deo, the leader said on condition of anonymity.

“To prevent any rebellion and undoing of the overwhelming mandate the party got in the elections, the leadership then decided to review the decision and again a marathon meeting to find an acceptable solution to the issue,” he added.

For full coverage on assembly elections, click here

A party functionary, who was part of the deliberations, dismissed reports suggesting that the CM post will be rotated between Baghel and Singh Deo after two-and-a-half years. “This happens in a coalition government and not within a party,” he said on condition of anonymity.

There were hectic parleys between Congress president Rahul Gandhi and four contenders in the race for the CM post — Baghel, Singh Deo, Sahu and Charan Das Mahant — at the Congress chief’s residence on Saturday.

The party’s central observer Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress in-charge for party affairs in Chhattisgarh PL Punia were also present at the meetings. Punia said the meeting of the newly elected lawmakers will be held at noon on Sunday and the name of the new CM will be announced thereafter.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted a picture of himself flanked by all the four claimants to the post, hinting at the end of tussle over who would be the next CM of Chhattisgarh.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
OPEN APP