Congress Poll Debacle: Baghel Tenders Resignation, Race for CLP Leadership Begins
BHOPAL: Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel late on Sunday night resigned from his post after Congress faced debacle in the recently held assembly elections in the state.
As soon as the counting of votes ended late on Sunday night, Mr Baghel proceeded to the Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation to the governor Biswabhushan Harichandan.
“I respect people’s verdict. We will meet soon to analyse the party’s (poor) performance in the polls”, he told the waiting media at the Raj Bhavan.
BJP has secured an absolute majority winning 54 out of 90 seats while Congress trailed at 35 seats.
Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), a tribal political outfit of Central India, has for the first time opened its account in the Assembly by winning one seat.
Meanwhile, the race for the post of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader has begun in the party.
“We are going to convene the meeting of Congress Legislature Party shortly to elect its leader”, Congress spokesman Sushil Anand Shukla said on Monday.
A senior Congress functionary told this newspaper that the Central leadership of the party is keen to appoint the new CLP leader as early as possible to prepare the party in the state for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“The Central leadership is keen to re-galvanise the party in Chhattisgarh keeping in view the 2024 LS polls. As a part of the measure, the party leadership wants to appoint the new CLP leader as soon as possible”, the Congress leader said, requesting anonymity.
Sources said that Mr Baghel is the front-runner in the race for the post of CLP leader.
“However, the Central party leadership is weighing pros and cons of appointing Mr Baghel as CLP leader in the wake of his name being dragged in the alleged online betting Mahadev Scandal”, the Congress leader said.
The alleged scandal is currently being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Sources said that the Central party leadership has been left with a few options to choose the new CLP leader in the wake of defeats of veteran Congress leader and deputy chief minister T S Singh deo and some other heavyweights such as state ministers Ravindra Choubey and Shiv Daharya, a dalit leader, in the elections.
