Chhattisgarh: Crisis deepens for Cong, 36 MLAs to reach Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) Amid the rift in the Chhattisgarh Congress Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will reach Delhi on Friday and meet the Congress leaders. It is also expected that he might meet former party president Rahul Gandhi, sources said.

However the crisis in the state has deepened with 36 odd MLAs also coming to New Delhi to meet senior leader KC Venugopal and apprise him of the situation in the state. Twenty more MLAs will board a flight on Friday.

While TS Singh Deo on Thursday categorically said that he will take on any responsibility given to him by the party high command, he also said that everyone is an aspirant for the top post in the state.

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had met Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo who is a contender for the top post.

After the meeting, Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge P.L. Punia speaking to the media said, "There was no discussion on a change of leadership in Chhattisgarh."

Punia attended the meeting along with the Chief Minister and the state health minister.

The meeting of these two leaders with Rahul Gandhi came amid Deo's reported claim for the top post in the state, demanding rotational chief ministership.

There were several reports of differences between Baghel and Deo, with the latter lobbying hard for months to replace the Chief Minister. On July 27, Deo walked out of the Assembly saying, "it is too much" after the opposition created an uproar demanding a House panel probe into Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh's charge that the Minister was behind an attack on him.

Deo and Baghel have been making several trips to the national capital. Deo, for the record, maintains that "Sonia Gandhiji and Rahul Gandhiji will decide." Following his visit, Baghel also rushed to the national capital in July this year.