In an interesting development, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is having recourse to ‘puja’ to save his chair. His rival in the Congress T.S. Singh Deo is also at the same time offering ‘puja’ to get the top post.
According to sources, Deo had performed a “special puja” in Delhi as well and returned after that. CM Baghel performed the puja at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday night. In the morning, he will be going to an MLA’s house.
“Puja-paath” and rituals to protect personal interests have been a common practice in Chhattisgarh. CM Bhupesh Baghel has also immense belief in all such practices.
Sources say that while leaving for Delhi for the meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Baghel had performed a havan in furtively in his assembly constituency. Baghel had managed to save his chair after a show of strength in his favour during his meeting with the high command.
In fact, Rahul Gandhi had fixed a formula of rotation of CM after completion of two and a half years, ie, first half of the term in Chhattisgarh. By this yardstick, CM Baghel has completed the first half of the term, and Deo should be given the post. Deo reminded the high command of the formula, after which Baghel started a political exercise to save his chair. He mustered up the support of 50 MLAs and staged a show of strength before the high command in Delhi. As a result of this, the high command deferred the decision to change CM.
Baghel has invited Rahul to see the development of Chhattisgarh. Rahul has accepted the invite but a date is being finalised. But Deo gives a message to his supporters that a change will take place. Baghel tells his supporters that no change is going to happen.
Meanwhile, the puja spree has made the politics of Chhattisgarh interesting. Baghel performed the puja on Wednesday night. Both the leaders are keeping their religious rituals as a top secret.