Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s rival TS Singh Deo made his deputy ahead of election later this year

New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s political rival TS Singh Deo has been named his deputy ahead of state elections due by the year-end, ending speculation about a change in top post. The decision was made at a meeting at the Congress headquarters in Delhi today. The party made the announcement later in the evening.

In a statement, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said: “INC President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for appointment of TS Singh Deo 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. 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,” Mr Venugopal added.

Sources indicated that the move was aimed at countering factionalism in a state where the party has a shot at winning a second term.

“It was to give TS Singh Deo his dues before the elections,” said another leader, making it clear that the Congress has learnt its lesson from Karnataka, where keeping peace between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar proved a challenge in the run-up to the elections and after.

Mr Deo was among the front-runners for the top post in the 2018 assembly election.