Raipur: As the upcoming assembly elections draw closer, reports of internal conflicts within the Congress party have surfaced. A recent incident revolves around the strained relationship between Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo and the controversial MLA from Balrampur, Brihaspati Singh.
During a mass meeting in Balrampur-Ramanujganj, Singh Deo openly declared on Monday that he will not forgive the person who falsely implicated him in an assassination attempt. "My name was dragged into a false assault cum murder case," the DyCM stated while addressing the public gathering.
Attempt to defame my parents will not be tolerated: Singh
He emphasised that any attempt to defame his parents, Maharaj Sahab and Maharani, will not be tolerated. Without revealing the name, he asserted that he cannot take responsibility for the seat.
TS Singh Deo indicated his intention to distance himself from party campaigns involving MLA Brihaspati Singh. In 2021, Balrampur MLA Brihaspati Singh accused Singh Deo of involvement in a life-threatening attack on his convoy. The allegations caused a stir in the Chhattisgarh State Assembly and put the Baghel government in a challenging position. However, Balrampur MLA later apologized, claiming that his intention was not to harm or defame anyone, attributing the incident to road rage rather than political motives.
Following Singh Deo's statement, MLA Brihaspati Singh issued a counterstatement in the media. He highlighted that while Singh Deo (Baba Saheb) has been entrusted with forming the government in the state, he does not possess sole authority over ticket distribution. Ticket decisions will be made by the High Command based on the recommendations of an 18-20 member Congress committee, the Chief Minister, the Congress State President, and the Congress Chhattisgarh in-charge, he stated.
On Singh Deo's statement, MLA Brihaspati Singh mentioned, "Baba is a man of letters, and why he made such statements, Baba is the best person to answer."
Meanwhile, Brihaspati Singh acknowledged that the Mayor of Ambikapur, Ajay Tirki, has been vying for a ticket from Balrampur for the past four assembly elections. Balrampur-Ramanujganj holds significance as an important seat in the Surguja Division and was under the region of King Ambikapur during the British rule.
It is noteworthy that Ajay Tirki is a close and trusted aide of Singh Deo. Amidst this critical juncture in the poll-bound state, the Congress party aimed to project a message of unity at all levels through the media. However, the resurgence of tensions between the two leaders has posed a challenge for Congress as it approaches the polls, particularly in terms of maintaining the perception of a united front in the media.
