Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday returned to Raipur from Delhi, a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met him for the second time in a week in a bid to resolve the power tussle between him and state health minister T S Singh Deo.
Rahul Gandhi will visit the state next week, Baghel told reporters at the airport.
The chief minister was greeted by a huge crowd of supporters like one that welcomed him back on Wednesday when he returned from his first meeting with Gandhi after supposedly discussing the issue of leadership change in the state.
Most of the MLAs including ministers who had traveled to Delhi in the last two days to express support for Baghel returned with him by the same flight. Slogans like “Bhupesh hai to bharosa hai” (If Bhupesh is there, there is trust) were raised at the airport.
Respecting the sentiments of our ministers and MLAs, Rahul Gandhi will visit Chhattisgarh including Bastar next week. He will stay for two days, the CM told reporters.
“He will see the Chhattisgarh model of development and take it to the entire country. He will see the work done by the government for the welfare of farmers, tribals, women, youth and the poor and the development of business and industry,” Baghel added.
The affection of Chhattisgarh’s people for Congress is unwavering and will continue to grow, he added.
Asked about Friday’s meeting in the national capital, he said, I spoke to Rahul Gandhi at length. Besides political issues, talks were held on government schemes. Discussions took place about different sections of people (in the state).
Finally, I invited him saying he has not come to Chhattisgarh for a long time and he consented,” Baghel added.
Gandhi will meet people from all sections of society including tribals and farmers and give sufficient time to them, he said.
Earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi held separate meetings with Baghel and his rival Singh Deo as the issue of rotating the chief minister’s post raised its head with Baghel completing half the term in office.
The chief minister returned on Wednesday but was recalled by the party high command on Friday.
Over 40 MLAs and some ministers close to him also reached Delhi and met state in-harge P L Punia and general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. Baghel had said on his return here on Wednesday that those talking about “two and a half years (power sharing formula) are trying to bring political instability to the state and they will never succeed.” When the Congress picked him for the CM’s post following the party’s victory in the 2018 Assembly polls, there was speculation that Singh Deo, another contender, would be allowed to take over after two-and-a-half years.
A sulking Singh Deo has been in Delhi for the last several days and is yet to return.