New Delhi: TS Singh Deo has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of the Chhattisgarh government ahead of state elections due by the year-end, news agency ANI reported.
In a statement, Congress spokesperson KC Venugopal said, “INC President Sh. Mallikarjun @kharge ji has approved the proposal for appointment of Sh. TS Singh Deo @TS_SinghDeo ji 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.”
He added, “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.”
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also took to Twitter to congratulate Deo. He wrote in Hindi, “We are ready. Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Saheb for his responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister.”
Notably, both leaders were locked in a tussle over the chief minister’s post in Chhattisgarh.
Deo and Baghel were the top contenders for the chief minister’s post after Congress returned to power in Chhattisgarh in 2018. However, Congress settled with Baghel, considering what many say his clout over the OBC community.
In June 2021, the rivalry between Baghel and Deo surfaced briefly after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as CM. Deo’s supporters claimed that an understanding was reached in 2018 that Deo would take over as Chief Minister after Baghel completed half the term.
However, the party leadership had denied that any such deal was struck.
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