T S Singh Deo appointed Chhattisgarh deputy CM; Congress signals settling leadership question in state

Singh Deo was at loggerheads with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over leadership issue.

In a dramatic move signalling party's resolve to settle the leadership question in poll bound Chhattisgarh, Congress on Wednesday night announced the appointment of TS Singh Deo as state Deputy Chief Minister.

The announcement came after two meetings in the capital Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi had with Chhattisgarh leadership in the national capital.

With Kharge now managing the leadership conundrum in Chhattisgarh, all eyes are on Rajasthan where Sachin Pilot is at loggerheads with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and whether the leadership will adopt the same formula to bring peace in the state unit.

A meeting of Rajasthan leaders is scheduled in early July. However, it is to be seen how the central leadership manages to convince Gehlot to accept a formula that accommodates Pilot, who was removed as Deputy Chief Minister and state president, either in the government or organisation.

Earlier in the day before the announcement was made, Singh Deo told DH it was not the time for confrontation but to unite and fight the assembly elections together. He was responding to a question on the leadership tussle in the state and whether it has been resolved.

In a late-night statement, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said Kharge has cleared the proposal to appoint Singh Deo, presently Health Minister, as Deputy Chief Minister.

The 70-year-old leader was a claimant for Chief Minister's post in 2018 but the mantle fell on Baghel after both got together to keep Tawarchand Sahu away from the top post in the state.

Singh Deo, the current titular Maharaja of Surguja, claimed that Baghel had agreed to share the tenure with him and step down after two-and-half years but the latter denied any such agreement, which is said to have been struck in the presence of Rahul.

While Singh Deo took his grievance to Delhi, Baghel with his OBC credentials managed to stonewall any change. Baghel, who consolidated his position after Congress lost its entire leadership in a Maoist attack in 2013, is also said to have the support of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The final stamp of approval on his appointment came after Kharge had a meeting with Baghel and Singh Deo at his residence in the evening in the presence of Venugopal, the second in the day. In the first meeting, leaders discussed the strategy to be adopted in the upcoming elections.

Venugopal tweeted, 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 Chattisgarh will re-elect the Congress with a thumping majority under the leadership of Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi-ji".

Interestingly, Singh Deo rebelled against Baghel but did not take Pilot's route to create a crisis in the party or the government. Sources said his loyalty was rewarded though lately.