Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday approved the proposal to appoint senior party leader T.S. Singhdeo as Deputy Chief Minister of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, putting an end to the duel going on in the state.
Announcing the decision, Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal said: "Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji has approved the proposal for appointment of TS Singh Deoji as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
"He is a loyal Congress leader and an able administrator. The state will benefit greatly from his services as Deputy CM. We are confident that the people of Chattisgarh will re-elect the Congress with a thumping majority under the leadership of Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji."
The decision comes after Kharge held a long discussion with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, state incharge Kumari Selja, state unit chief Mohan Markam and senior minister Tamradhwaj Sahu at his residence here. Venugopal was also present in the meeting.
Baghel and Deo has been engaged in bitter war of words in the state for last two years. However, in recent months, Deo had gone soft on Baghel.
Earlier in the day, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Venugopal met Chhattisgarh leaders to discuss the strategy for the state, which will go to polls by the end of the year.
Soon after the decision was announced, Baghel congratulated Singhdeo.
"We are ready. Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Sahab for the new responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister", he said in a tweet in Hindi, attaching a photo of both of them.
