RAIPUR: A day after 15 Congress legislators were administered oath of office and appointed as parliamentary secretaries by the Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, the state Congress on Wednesday finalised its first list of 32 party leaders for various key posts in the state-run Boards and Corporations.
Amid the political crisis in Rajasthan state, the move by the Chhattisgarh Congress government that enjoys a huge majority with 69 out of 90 seats in the Assembly, has been interpreted by opposition parties as a decision taken in a hurry. So far, Congress has placed its 40 MLAs in various positions including 15 legislators as parliamentary secretaries. The new list now will further increase that figure.
The opposition BJP asserted that the appointments will impose an additional burden on the exchequer of the cash-strapped state.
“At a time of coronavirus pandemic when there is not enough tax collections, what was the need and urgency to go for such massive appointments in plum posts. It appears there is apprehension that the political crisis felt earlier in Madhya Pradesh and now Rajasthan will also be experienced in Chhattisgarh. The decisions are being taken in haste out of anxiety by the ineffective state leadership”, said a senior BJP MLA and former minister Brijmohan Agrawal.
To keep the party legislators and senior leaders in good humour, the Congress on Wednesday finalised 32 names in their first list. “Another list would be announced soon. The responsibilities are given to those leaders who had worked hard for the party during the past 15 years. The party has tried to balance regional and caste equation”, said the PCC chief Mohan Markam.
Baghel had earlier admitted to TNIE that it remains a daunting task to keep all the elected party leaders happy.
Among the Congress legislators, the state cabinet has 13 ministers, 15 are parliamentary secretaries, one each as assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker, 9 MLAs in the development authorities, and one as the state Congress president.