Will step down when Sonia, Rahul Ji order me to do so: Bhupesh Baghel amid rift in Chhattisgarh Cong
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], August 25 (ANI): Amid the ongoing rift in Chhattisgarh Congress for a change of leadership, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday said that he would step down from his post when party interim president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi order him to do so.
"I will step down when Sonia and Rahul Ji order me. Those talking about 2.5 years plan are trying to bring political instability but will never succeed," he told reporters when he arrived in Raipur after his visit to Delhi.
Baghel was welcomed with thousands of supporters and Congress workers gathered at the airport to greet him.
On Tuesday, Baghel and state Health Minister TS Singh Deo met party leadership including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and party's Chhattisgarh in-charge PL Punia in the national capital amid the reported ongoing power tussle between them.
After the Baghel government completed two-and-a-half years in office in June the supporters of TS Singh Deo raised the issue of rotational chief ministership. Though Congress never talked about the two-and-a-half-year formula in Chhattisgarh, the supporters of Deo claim that this was promised.
It was expected that the meeting of Baghel and Deo with Rahul Gandhi would end the suspense about the change of leadership in the state. However, Congress leader and party's Chhattisgarh in-charge PL Punia on Tuesday said that there was no discussion on leadership change in the state during the meeting.
Congress won the assembly polls held in December 2018 with a thumping majority. Then, the state Congress president Bhupesh Baghel was made the chief minister. TS Singh Deo was the head of the manifesto committee in the election. Supporters of both Baghel and TS have claimed that the party's unilateral victory was due to their leaders. (ANI)
