Raipur, January 02
Congress legislators on Thursday elected TS Singhdeo as new leader of opposition (LOP) in Chhattisgarh. Besides, Dr Renu Jogi, spouse of former CM Ajit Jogi, has been elected as deputy leader of Congress legislators’ party (CLP) and Lakheshwar Baghel will be chief whip of the party in State assembly. Congress has 39 seats in 90-member State assembly while the ruling BJP has 49. Two seats are shared by BSP and independent candidates.
The election of Dr Renu Jogi as deputy CLP leader is said to be balancing act in the party as Ajit Jogi camp wanted her to be made LOP. The camp had also projected two tribal faces for the coveted post - Amarjeet Bhagat and Ramdayal Uike.
However, the organisational camp had reportedly suggested two names to the high command – TS Singhdeo and Satyanarayan Sharma. Though new PCC chief Bhupesh Baghel’s name was also rumoured to be forwarded for LOP but he himself opted out from the race pointing that he already had significant job of State unit.
Approving the names of Singhdeo and Sharma, the high command sent AICC general secretaries Ambika Soni and Ajay Makan as observers to Raipur on Thursday to evolve consensus among the party MLAs over one name.
In about four hour meeting, which was also attended by party’s State inchagre BK Hariprasada and former PCC president Charandas Mahant, the Congress MLAs agreed over names of Singhdeo, Dr Renu Jogi and Lakehswar Baghel.
In the meeting, the party legislators also decided to demand post of deputy Speaker from the ruling party. Besides, the two observers Ambika Soni and Ajay Makan asked the MLAs to rake up all the issues including corruption and Maoism aggressively during upcoming assembly session.
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