Rahul Gandhi is visiting Raipur on February 3. One item on his agenda is the feud between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and health minister T.S. Singhdeo
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to be in Raipur for a day-long visit on February 3. While the stated purpose of the visit is to attend the pre-wedding ceremonies of Chaitanya, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son, political watchers in Chhattisgarh are seeing the trip against the longstanding leadership issue in the state. Chaitanya’s wedding is incidentally on February 6 in Raipur.
Rahul is the adjudicator of the leadership issue between Baghel and state health minister T.S. Singhdeo. As per a formula, which Rahul has neither confirmed nor denied, the post of CM in Chhattisgarh was to be held by Baghel and Singhdeo by rotation for a period of two and half years each. While two and half years have lapsed in mid-2021, the issue went on the boil in the latter part of 2021 with state MLAs and ministers making multiple visits to Delhi in what were touted as shows of strength by Baghel.
While in Raipur, Rahul will inaugurate the Sewagram in Naya Raipur. It is an industrial park and convention centre spread over 75 acres and built on the Gandhian concept. He is also slated to inaugurate a new ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’, to be built in Raipur in the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the country. Baghel has been critical of the Union government for having merged the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi with the National War Memorial flame nearby.
Congress leaders in Raipur are preparing for Rahul’s visit and are expected to put up massive welcomes that would double up as shows of strength. When the leadership issue was at its peak last year, Baghel and Congress MLAs had made multiple trips to Delhi, and one of the announcements made was that Rahul would tour the Bastar region in the state. There were preparations for the tour but it never materialised.
Rahul’s trip to Raipur comes at a time when the leadership issue is at the backburner given that the party is busy with assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur. For long, the Congress leadership has treated the issue like the elephant in the room. “Nothing is expected to happen right now. Any decision on the subject, for change or against change, can be done only after the completion of elections in the five states. But there would be ample political messaging in the way Rahul Gandhi interacts with Baghel and Singhdeo,” said a Congress MLA in Chhattisgarh, adding: “The rank and file of the party also wants the leadership to clarify the issue once and for all.” In other words, Rahul’s visit will see Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh trying to read the messaging as to what lies in store. Can they gauge the signals correctly?
