The Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh has appointed 25 lawmakers for various posts in the state statutory bodies, including parliamentary secretaries, boards, and commissions over the last three days, in what appears to be a pre-emptive measure to fortify itself amid the party’s internal power struggle in Rajasthan.
At present, 38 legislators are holding various posts in the state government, including the latest entrants.
The others are chief minister Baghel and his 12 Cabinet colleagues.
The ruling Congress has 69 lawmakers in the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly.
On Thursday, a list of chairman and vice-chairman of boards and commissions, which include four members of the legislative assembly (MLAs), was released that has been carefully drawn up while keeping the regional sensibilities in mind, as 14 leaders are from Raipur division, followed by four each from Surguja, Bilaspur, and Durg divisions and six from the under-developed Bastar division.
On Wednesday night, the state government had appointed six MLAs as chairmen and vice-chairmen of two development authorities.
On Tuesday, the state government had appointed 15 MLAs, as parliamentary secretaries, who are touted to work in tandem with 12 ministers.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that appointments have been made to pacify the infighting within the Congress-led government, which is further rattled because of the ongoing Rajasthan crisis.
Senior BJP MLA and ex-minister Brijmohan Agrawal told media persons on Wednesday that the government “hurriedly’’ appointed the party legislators as parliamentary secretaries out of fear because of the political crisis in Rajasthan.
“There is a huge discontentment among Congress legislators in the state. The ruling party decided in a hurry to appoint them as parliamentary secretaries. This is a fallout of what happened in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh (MP) and is likely to happen in Rajasthan. The Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress is afraid of the MP and Rajasthan experience,” Agrawal alleged.
However, state Congress leader RP Singh rubbished Agrawal’s allegations.
“The BJP has only 14 MLAs in the state assembly, which is less than the parliamentary secretaries appointed by us. The party needs to understand where it stands. Besides, these appointments were made before the Rajasthan crisis. It is a coincidence that it has been announced now,” he said.
Another BJP leader Ajay Chandrakar, too, harped on the infighting within Congress’s Chhattisgarh unit.
“It is a well-known fact that there is a growing rift between two Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh. These appointments have been made to pacify some leaders and put an end to infighting,” he alleged.
Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, who heads the Congress’s communication unit in the state, likened the BJP’s allegations to the pot calling the kettle black.
“Ajay Chandrakar and Brijmohan Agarwal are two major factions in the BJP since 2000. Now, they are talking about rift and infighting. They need to first get their own house in order,” said Trivedi.
The BJP, which has ruled Chhattisgarh for three consecutive terms since 2003, has 14 MLAs.
Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) (J), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have four and two lawmakers, respectively.
The Marwahi assembly seat has been lying vacant since the death of Ajit Jogi, ex-CM, and JCC (J) MLA.
