With more Congress MLAs from Chhattisgarh joining their colleagues in New Delhi amid speculation of a leadership change in the state, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday reiterated that there is no political movement and the MLAs are going to Delhi on their own wish as they are all independent individuals. Reacting to former chief minister Raman Singh’s statement that Chhattisgarh is going the Punjab way, Baghel said Chhattisgarh can never become Punjab.

The speculation is Chhattisgarh Congress is split between two camps, one belonging to Bhupesh Baghel and the other belonging to health minister TS Singhdeo, who is demanding a change of guard in the state. On Friday, Singhdeo said, “The tussle is not as bad as is being portrayed. The high command will take the decision according to the current situation and no new situation has emerged.”

6 more Chhattisgarh Congress MLAs arrive in Delhi

The development in Chhattisgarh comes at a time when the Congress is facing a crisis originating from Punjab. Captain Amarinder Singh’s exit from the chief minister post over his disagreement with Navjot Singh Sidhu has got senior Congress leaders speaking out against the functioning of the party.

Baghel has completed 2.5 years as the chief minister in June and now the supporters of Singhdeo are demanding a change in the guard in favour of Singhdeo, though the Congress never talked about rotational chief ministership when it came to power in the 2018 election. 

As of now, around 30 Chhattisgarh MLAs are already in Delhi. Baghel has been downplaying the movement though the number of Chhattisgarh MLAs visiting Delhi together is quite surprising.  “Tell me one thing – can’t legislators go anywhere. Every step should not be seen as politics. Anybody can go anywhere. Even you (mediapersons) tour with your friends and it doesn’t mean every time the purpose is getting news,” Baghel said on Thursday. 

The Congress high command had summoned both Baghel and Singhdeo to Delhi in August to resolve the feud and the leadership issue was solved for the time being.