Eye on polls, Congress appoints Chhattisgarh CM Baghel’s rival Singh Deo as his deputy

The Congress, in an apparent attempt to stem infighting in the Chhattisgarh party unit and prepare it for the year-end Assembly polls, appointed TS Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister on Wednesday (June 28). Singh Deo has been locked in a turf war with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for months.

Baghel, who faces a formidable challenge from the Opposition BJP in the crucial Assembly elections, immediately hailed Singh Deo’s appointment, seeking to put up a united face.

What works in Singh Deo’s favour is that he is a prominent leader and has a considerable following in the northern part of the state (Surguja). The sitting MLA from Ambikapur also enjoys the confidence of the party high command in New Delhi.

Kharge approves proposal

A party statement released in Delhi on Wednesday night said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had approved the proposal for the appointment of Singh Deo (70) as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh.

The decision came after top Congress leaders from Chhattisgarh discussed the party’s strategy and poll preparedness in the state during the meeting held in New Delhi earlier in the day.

Also read: BJP in pitiable situation in Chhattisgarh, says Bhupesh Baghel

Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Baghel, party in-charge for the state Kumari Selja, and general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal, were among the leaders who attended the meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

Sources said Kumari Selja sent a proposal to appoint Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister, and it was cleared by party chief Kharge. Baghel and Singh Deo also met Kharge at his residence after the strategy meeting.

United face

Singh Deo on Thursday (June 29) said he was grateful to the party for the announcement  and claimed that the “agreement” over rotation of the chief ministerial post, which was the alleged bone of contention between him and Baghel, was a buzz “created by the media”.

After the appointment of Singh Deo, who hails from an erstwhile royal family, Baghel tweeted a picture of him and Singh Deo, both beaming, and wrote, “We are ready. Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Sahab for getting responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister.”

हैं तैयार हम.
महाराज साहब को उपमुख्यमंत्री के रूप में दायित्व के लिए बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएँ. @TS_SinghDeo pic.twitter.com/1sRZqsEU2W

— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) June 28, 2023

Venugopal tweeted, “He (Singh Deo) is a loyal Congress leader and an able administrator. The state will benefit greatly from his services as Deputy CM. We are confident that the people of Chhattisgarh will re-elect the Congress with a thumping majority under the leadership of Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji.”

According to political experts, the decision reflects the Congress high command’s attempt to keep its house in order ahead of the Assembly elections, where it will seek to retain power.

The decision seems to be the party’s move to resolve differences within the ruling Congress in the state. However, it should have been taken much ahead of the Assembly polls. Such a decision at this point could boomerang on the party, senior journalist and political analyst R Krishna Das told PTI.

Also read: How Congress is using Ramayan to counter BJP’s Hindutva narrative in Chhattisgarh

BJP takes a dig

Senior BJP leader and former CM Raman Singh took a dig and tweeted a rhyme, “Dubne lagi kashti to kaptan ne yu kuchh kiya, saup di hai patwar aadhi dusre ke hath me” (when the boat started sinking, the captain handed over half of the helm to someone else). Congratulations to Maharaj ji for the remaining 4 months.”

BJP’s Chhattisgarh unit chief Arun Sao on Wednesday termed Singh Deo’s appointment as the deputy chief minister as his “insult”, and said the decision will not save the Congress from being defeated in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

“The Congress, which had promised to make Singh Deo CM for two and a half years, has done injustice to him by making him deputy CM for just four months. It is an insult to Singh Deo ji,” he said.

“It is clear that Bhupesh Baghel ji and Congress are afraid of the people’s criticism of the state government. The Congress has made Chhattisgarh a den of corruption and addiction while there is no development work taking place,” he said, adding that the decision will have no impact on the elections.

CM post-sharing formula

However, Singh Deo said he had never spoken of an “agreement” over rotation of the chief ministerial post and claimed it was a buzz created by the media.

The decision to appoint him as the deputy CM came just a few months ahead of state Assembly elections due this year-end, but Singh Deo said the responsibility given even for a day was crucial. Expressing gratitude to the party for the announcement of his elevation, he said “der aaye durust aaye” (better late than never).

The CM post-sharing formula had been a buzz in Chhattisgarh’s political circles after the Congress came to power in December 2018 after 15 years. Then, Baghel and his two senior cabinet colleagues — Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu — were leading contenders for the top post.

The alleged differences between Baghel and Singh Deo had spilled out in the open in mid-2021 when speculation was rife that the latter would take over as chief minister for the remaining term following the purported power-sharing pact agreed upon in 2018.

Also read: Chhattisgarh polls: Congress sits pretty as Bhupesh Baghel towers over Opposition

Baghel had also paraded the MLAs loyal to him before the party leadership a few months ago when Singh Deo stepped up efforts to replace Baghel as chief minister. Both Baghel and Singh Deo were in the national capital to hold the party’s strategy meet for the assembly polls later this year.

(With agency inputs)