Bhupesh Baghel becomes Chhattisgarh PCC chief

Raipur, December 19

Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi has appointed Chhattisgarh PCC prorgamme coordinator Bhupesh Baghel as new State unit president. Baghel has replaced Charandas Mahant who held the post of PCC chief for over six months. Since, the high command changed the State leadership just three months before general elections, it would be challenging for Baghel to reorganise the party which is feeling dejected after recent poll debacle.

According to information, Mahant, who represents Korba Lok Sabha constituency in State and holds portfolio of union minister of state for agriculture and food processing industries at Centre, has himself expressed desire to step down from the post of PCC president after recently concluded polls citing reason that he wanted to utilise next three months in preparing for general elections.

Interestingly, Baghel’s anointment as new PCC chief has been hailed from both organisational and Ajit Jogi factions. While Mahant, Satyanarayan Sharma, TS Singhdeo and other organisational leaders welcomed the move and felt that Baghel deserved the top post and would do justice to it, former CM Ajit Jogi, whose political rivalry with Baghel is well-known to all, too has showered encomiums on party supremo’s decision.

In his first reaction on Baghel’s new assignment, Jogi said Baghel had capability to unite the party and the central leadership had picked him after contemplation. While political pundits are trying to find out sarcasm in Jogi’s statement, it is Baghel who would have to take initiative and bury the hatchet with the former CM and seek his support to win maximum number of seats in LS polls in State.

Baghel has given tough time to ruling BJP, especially CM Raman Singh, on host of issues in last two years or so. His elevation is seen as reward to the offensive launched by him against the saffron government single-handedly.

Baghel, 62, started his political career back in 1984. He won assembly polls for the first time in undivided Madhya Pradesh (MP) in 1993. This time, he won from Patan and it was his fourth victory. He has been union minister of state for grievance redressal department and transport minister in 1998 and 1999 under then Digvijay Singh’s government in MP.