RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh minister T S Singhdeo who resigned as panchayat and rural development minister has sought an appointment from the Congress high command apparently “to share his viewpoints” as he left for Delhi on Monday.
He will also meet senior Congress leaders in the national capital before proceeding on July 21 to the poll-bound Gujarat where he has been appointed as senior party observer by AICC, said the sources close to him.
His letter addressed to the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday citing the reasons behind leaving the panchayat department has led to turmoil within the Congress party in the state.
Several party MLAs including the ministers expressing displeasure over the Singhdeo’s move are seeking action against him for making public the contents of his letter, which according to them carry expressions no different than the language of the opposition.
“Perhaps I couldn’t prove to be an effective panchayat minister to fulfill the goal as set down in the poll manifesto,” he said in Raipur.
Singh Deo, locked in a power tussle with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, has given up the charge of the panchayat and rural development department citing reasons like non-allotment of funds by the CM for the construction of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
However, he still holds health and family welfare, medical education, 20-point implementation and commercial tax (GST) portfolios.
Asked about reports that a few Congress MLAs have demanded action against him, the health minister sought to know how making a point amounts to "indiscipline".
A Union minister came here (apparently referring to the visit of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh to the state) and commented on MNREGA (rural jobs scheme) as well as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
"I took the responsibility for it (alleged tardy pace of implementation of schemes) and resigned from the department. How is it an act of indiscipline? I am in frequent talks with everyone in the government and have made all the things public," said Singh Deo while talking to PTI.
"I have defended the (state) government and taken the responsibility for works not being done in my department (Panchayat and Rural Development)," he said.
Giriraj Singh, who was in Chhattisgarh last week, had criticized the Congress government for the way it has been implementing central welfare schemes.
After the latest political development in the state, which goes polls in late 2023, Singh Deo has sought time from the party's central leadership.
"I will be visiting Ahmedabad via Delhi. Time has been sought to meet the high command and if there is a meeting, then there will be a conversation about the current events," the Congress leader said.
Singh Deo has been appointed an observer by the party for the Gujarat assembly polls slated by the year-end.
"I have learnt that the issue of my resignation was brought up in the meeting of the Congress Legislative Party on Sunday and a few MLAs demanded action in this regard. I also came to know that Punia Ji (the party's state in charge P L Punia) listened to the MLAs and said he will convey their sentiments to the people concerned," said Singh Deo.
The Congress minister did not attend the CLP meeting.
Talking to reporters on Sunday, Chief Minister Baghel had said he was yet to receive Singh Deo's resignation from the panchayat and rural development department and that he learnt about the latter's move through the media.
Responding to this, Singh Deo said the resignation letter was sent on Saturday and when he was hold that the CM's office was closed, he emailed the missive.
"Before my resignation, I had a talk with the chief minister and informed him about everything," he said.
The minister said he met Baghel in the state assembly on Monday but there was no discussion on the resignation issue.
In his resignation letter to the chief minister, Singh Deo had claimed not a single house was built for homeless people under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana as funds were not allotted despite "repeated request".
In the four-page resignation letter, Singh Deo cited various reasons, saying he was unable to fulfil the department's targets as per the vision of the Jan Ghoshna Patra (poll manifesto), given the "current scenario".
(With PTI Inputs)