Congress seeks way out of Baghel-Deo tussle, Punia says 'required action' will be taken by party leadership in Chhattisgarh
Jul 22, 2022
New Delhi [India], July 22 : Amid an apparent tussle between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader TS Singh Deo, the Congress incharge of the state PL Punia said on Friday that the party's central leadership is "aware of the situation" and "whatever is required action will be taken".
"TS Singh Deo has written (with) which the CM Bhagel doesn't agree. I also tried to speak to both of them. The central leadership is aware of the situation and whatever is required, then action will be taken," Punia told ANI.
Referring to Deo relinquishing Panchayat and Rural Development portfolio, Punia said that the portfolio has been given to another minister and there's "nothing extraordinary".
"TS Singh Deo hasn't resigned, it is just that he relinquished one department and he made a request to the Chief Minister. As the Assembly session is going on and there are questions related to the business of the House, the Minister has to be present to respond to the questions. That is why TS Singh Deo's request has been accepted and the portfolio had been given to another minister and there is nothing extraordinary," Punia said.
Chhattisgarh minister Ravindra Choubey was given charge of the Panchayat and Rural Development portfolio after Deo relinquished it.
The turf war between Deo and Baghel is a cause of concern for Congress with the state due for assembly polls next year. Deo had in his letter outlined the reasons for his quitting the Panchayat and Rural Development portfolio. He continues to be the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Twenty Point Implementation and Commercial Tax.
Baghel had said on Sunday said that he got to know about Deo quitting rural development portfolio through media reports.
"I got to know about it from the media. There's absolute coordination and whatever issues are there, they can be discussed by sitting together," he had told the media.
At the heart of the tussle apparently is the claim by Deo's supporters that he was assured the post of chief minister for two-and-a-half years during the last assembly polls in 2018.
The Congress is keen to put its house in order in the state where it scored an emphatic victory in the last assembly polls.
