Have not made up mind to contest next election, says Singh Deo
The Hindu
Will ask the people before taking a decision, says the Chhattisgarh Health Minister
Chhattisgarh Health Minister T.S. Singh Deo — locked in a long power tussle with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel — has said that his mind is not set on contesting elections, as in the past.
Mr. Singh Deo was on Thursday responding to journalists seeking clarification on his recent statement about not having made up his mind on contesting the 2023 Assembly election.
“Thus far, whenever elections have happened - 2008, 2013, 2018 [Assembly election years of Chhattisgarh] - I used to think that I should contest polls and I would ask the people... this time I don’t have that feeling. But, whatever I do, I will ask the people before doing it. This time, my mind is not set on fighting elections like it used to be,” said the Minister in Ambikapur.
Mr. Singh Deo has often indicated his resentment over not getting the Chief Minister’s post that his supporters claim was promised to him when the party won in 2018. His statements, often differing from the government’s official position, have hinted at this resentment. In July, he relinquished his Panchayat and Rural Development portfolio though he retained his other departments.
Mr. Singh Deo’s Cabinet colleague and State Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu said that even if the former didn’t contest, it wouldn’t impact the Congress’s prospects in the next Assembly election.
“There is no question of this [Mr. Singh Deo’s statement on contesting elections] causing any damage to the Congress. The party is a big enough institution. If one person doesn’t want to contest, there are 10 others wishing to fight elections,” Mr. Sahu said.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.