T S Singh Deo to be deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh
New Delhi, Jun 28: Chhattisgarh minister T S Singh Deo will be the deputy chief minister of the state with the ruling Congress clearing his appointment on Wednesday, months ahead of the assembly elections.
According to a party statement issued here, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for the appointment of Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh.
Singh Deo and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel have been engaged in a power tussle since the party came to power in the state in 2018.
Singh Deo claimed earlier that the party leadership had promised that he and Baghel would hold the chief minister's post alternately, a claim rejected by Baghel.
Baghel had also paraded the MLAs loyal to him before the party leadership a few months ago when Singh Deo stepped up efforts to replace Baghel as chief minister.
Both Baghel and Singh Deo were in the national capital to hold the party's strategy meet for the assembly polls later this year.
Sources said the party's general secretary in-charge for Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja sent a proposal to appoint Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister and it was cleared by party chief Kharge.
Baghel and Singh Deo also met Kharge at his residence after the strategy meeting.
Baghel later tweeted a picture of him and Singh Deo, both beaming, and said, "We are ready. Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Saheb for his responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister."
AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal tweeted, "He (Singh Deo) 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 Chhattisgarh will re-elect the Congress with a thumping majority under the leadership of Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji."
The Congress is seeking to retain power in Chhattisgarh and is projecting unity in the party unit.
हैं तैयार हम.
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) June 28, 2023
महाराज साहब को उपमुख्यमंत्री के रूप में दायित्व के लिए बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएँ. @TS_SinghDeo pic.twitter.com/1sRZqsEU2W
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BJP MLC CT Ravi records statement with CID over Belagavi attack
Bengaluru, Jan 9: BJP leader C T Ravi on Thursday recorded his statement before the CID officer probing the attack on him during the last day of the Belagavi Legislature session on December 19.
MLC Ravi was allegedly attacked by a group of people upset over his alleged derogatory remarks in the Legislative Council against the state's Woman and Child Welfare Minister, Laxmi Hebbalkar.
The MLC was arrested and reportedly taken to multiple locations by the police in connection with his remarks against the minister.
According to Ravi, some BJP legislators had lodged a complaint with council chairperson Basavaraj Horatti regarding the attack on him at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha while he was on his way to the council.
Horatti had instructed the police to investigate the case. Subsequently, the police summoned Ravi to record his statement, he said.
“I have provided details of the incident to the investigating officer. I recorded my statement regarding the individuals who attacked me, the slogans they shouted, and the foul language they used,” the BJP leader told reporters after returning from the CID office.
He stated that he was attacked twice on December 19 within the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha premises in Belagavi.
Ravi also mentioned that video and CCTV footage of the incident would be examined as part of the investigation.
