Bhupesh Baghel, the frontrunner for CM post in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: With the Congress all set to form government in Chhattisgarh, discussions are in full swing about who will be the next Chief Minister in the state. Several names are in the fray but most prominent among them is of President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee Bhupesh Baghel.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, however, said today that process of selecting chief minister would be smooth as there are no clashes among the party leaders. The front runners include: Tamardhwaj Sahu, TS Singh Deo and Bhupesh Baghel.

Why Baghel?

Baghel discharged his duties on expected line and put the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Raman Singh in the dock on many sensitive issues.

The party workers were energized to take on BJP and it was possible only under his leadership as Baghel did not missed any opportunity to attack the BJP government and Singh.

In the past five years, Baghel has been continuously targeting Raman Singh on various issues including Cut in Rashan Cards, farmers issues and standing with the chit funds company.

Baghel rose to prominence after almost the entire state leadership of the Congress was wiped out in the 2013 Darbha Maoist attack.

Late in September 2018, Bhupesh Baghel asked his personnel staff to get prepared to leave for Bilaspur---about 120 km from the Chhattisgarh. He brushed aside the suggestions that it was not fair to travel by road that was under construction in night.

Baghel reached Bilaspur by mid-night and straight away went to the hospital where Congress workers were recuperating. They were injured after police brutally resorted to lathi-charge on Congress workers that left scores of activists maimed.

As Chhattisgarh State Congress President, Bhupesh Baghel reached the spot immediately after the incident that propelled party workers. This was the strength of the leader who was assigned the work of heading the Congress in Chhattisgarh when workers were depressed after entire frontline leadership was wiped out in deadly Naxal incident in Darba of Bastar district in July 2013.

Besides politics, Baghel has been actively involved in the social works. He has been organising mass marriage ceremonies to reduce spending on marriage functions.