C’garh: Singh Deo does not rule out change in leadership in C’garh Congress
Veteran Congress leader T S Singh Deo on Sunday did not rule out the possibility of a change in the leadership of the party in Chhattisgarh.
Raipur: Veteran Congress leader T S Singh Deo on Sunday did not rule out the possibility of a change in the leadership of the party in Chhattisgarh.
Mr Singh Deo, who was the former deputy chief minister in the previous Bhupesh Baghel government, said that the recent changes effected by the party leadership in the AICC and some state parties has raised the possibility that there may also be change in leadership of the party in Chhattisgarh.
He cited changes of AICC general secretaries in-charges of some states and presidents of Maharashtra and Odisha units of Congress recently.
The development has given rise to speculation that there may also be a change of leadership of Chhattisgarh Congress, he said.
Following the mounting speculation over change in the leadership of Congress in Chhattisgarh, his name has cropped up as the prospective candidate for the post of state Congress president, he said.
“But I have not been given any indication in this regard so far”, the Congress leader said.
The former deputy chief minister however hastened to add that he is prepared to take up the responsibility (to lead the party in Chhattisgarh) if given by the Central leadership of the party.
“It (leading Congress in Chhattisgarh) is a challenging responsibility. I have to move around the state (to revive the party). But I have good rapport with people across Chhattisgarh”, he added.
Mr Singh Deo however said that his priority is to revive the party in his home turf of Sarguja region in north Chhattisgarh where the party had drawn blank in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Congress had won all the 14 Assembly seats in Sarguja range in the 2018 Assembly polls, but lost all the 14 seats in the 2023 Assembly polls, Mr Singh Deo, who himself lost the polls in his home constituency of Ambikapur in the last Assembly elections, said.
The recent induction of former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel in the AICC as general secretary in-charge of Punjab has given rise to speculations that Mr Singh Deo, considered Mr Baghel’s rival, may be given the charge of Chhattisgarh Congress.
The dismal performance of the party in the just concluded civic body polls in Chhattisgarh has further strengthened the speculations on the possible replacement of incumbent PCC chief Deepak Baij with Mr Singh Deo in the post.
