Union Minister of State for Agriculture Charandas Mahant was finally given the charge of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CGPCC) as the Congress high command appointed him working president on Monday. Bhupesh Baghel, state general secretary, has been appointed programme coordinator.
Notably, after the death of Nand Kumar Patel in Maoist attack at Darbha on May 25, post of CGPCC chief became vacant. On Sunday in the first meeting of CGPCC held after Patel's death issue of appointment of state party president was discussed and national treasurer of Congress Motilal Vora had told newsmen that decision on this issue would be taken soon. Just a day later, Mahant has been given the charge of the executive president of the state party unit.
After the demise of Patel, names of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, his wife Renu Jogi, Charandas Mahant, leader of Opposition ravindra Choubey, Bhupesh Baghel and Satya Narayan Sharma were doing the rounds for post. Ajit Jogi had advised not to appoint full time president of the Party till election and rather fighting the next election in the name of Patel's martyrdom and for the time being appoint executive president. Party high command also thought it better to appoint executive president and seeing the activeness and acceptability among party factions Mahant has been assigned the responsibility.
After the announcement of his appointment, Mahant said that he would take the charge only after seeking the blessings of Party president Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi.
Talking to media, Mahant said that the party high command has given him the responsibility of wiping the tears of those affected by the Darbha tragedy which devoured more than a dozen of party leaders including CGPCC chief Nand Kumar Patel, Mahendra Karma and Uday Mudliyar and an equal number of workers, security personnel besides boosting the sagging morale of party workers. Refusing any factionalism in the party, Mahnt said as a democratic entity there are differences of opinion among party leaders which not factionalism and expressed the hope that the party will fight the next assembly poll together.
Mahant further said that forming government in Chhattisgarh was a challenge but wiping tears from the eyes of party workers, who are deeply sad over the massacre of leaders, is his priority. He will soon hold a meeting with state party leaders and fixed the date of the programme.
Since the Congress party has decided to resume Parivartan Yatra from where it was postponed indefinitely, Bhupesh Baghel, a trusted hand of Patel, has been made programme coordinator to chalk out future programmes of the party in the state.
He has been very active specially on the issue of Pushp Steel and Balco land deals and several times attacked the state government. Earlier, this post was held by TS Singh Deo.
Meanwhile, leader of Opposition in Assembly Ravindra Choubey welcomed the appointment of Mahant saying that the latter was his mentor in the politics and that the entire party will work unitedly under his leadership.