NEW DELHI: A temporary truce deal between Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health minister TS Singh Deo was worked out after a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to end the tiff between the two over leadership issues in the state.
Sources said Baghel will continue to lead the state while Deo is likely to have a bigger say in the government with some of his people likely to be inducted in the cabinet.
During the meeting, Baghel has been told not to interfere in work handled by Deo, who has complained that he was not even consulted in work related to his ministry.
With trouble simmering between the two leaders for some time, both Baghel and Punia said that they would abide by the decision taken by the top leadership.
Sources said that Deo being elevated as Deputy CM cannot be ruled out and AICC organisation in-charge KC Venugopal and state incharge PL Punia have been asked to work out a formula between the two leaders.
Deo has been demanding change in leadership in the state on account that when the Congress government came to power in 2018, he was promised the post of CM during the second half of the government. Baghel completed the first half in June and since then,
Deo has been pushing the party high command for the top post.
However, the party denied any discussion on leadership change and said that talks were on issues related to the state and projects to be implemented in the state.
“There was no discussion on change of leadership in Chhattisgarh,” said Punia after the meeting that lasted abround two and-a-half hours.
Last month, Deo walked out of the Assembly after the Opposition created an uproar demanding a probe into Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh’s charge that the minister was behind an attack on him.
Baghel likely to continue as CM
While Bhupesh Baghel is likely to continue as chief minister, TS Singh Deo will get a bigger say in the government and may even be elevated to the post of deputy chief minister, said sources.