Bhupesh Bhagel, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, will be meeting Congress leaders in Delhi on Friday, during his second trip to the national capital this week amid talk of problems within the state Congress. Bhagel and his ‘challenger’, state health minister TS Singh Deo, had met Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday as the party brass tried to put a lid on the ‘rebellion’.

Reports suggest that the agenda for discussion is the issue of rotational chief ministership between the two leaders. Baghel completed two-and-a-half years in office in June. Singh Deo had been hinting at a change of leadership based on the rotational formula, a promise reportedly made by Rahul Gandhi. 

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Bhagel has often dismissed the talk of rotational CM and recently said that it was not a feature of a coalition government. To this Deo had said, “There are many instances when Congress CMs were changed before they completed their terms or continued for 10 or even 15 years. In Uttarakhand, we had more than one Congress CM last time (Vijay Bahuguna and Harish Rawat)…” according to ET.

Amid this talk of tussle, both Deo and Bhagel have been trying to shore up support. At least 20 legislators backing Baghel are in the national capital in a show of support. Similarly, Deo has also lined up his supporters.

Let’s take a look at the developments in the state so far:

*The differences between Baghel and Deo can be traced back to the 2018 Assembly elections when Congress rode to power in the state after 15 years.

* This was followed by a tussle between Bhagel, then PCC chief, and Deo, then leader of the Opposition in the assembly, for the chief minister’s post.

*After days of hectic deliberations, then Congress chief Rahul Gandhi announced that Bhagel would lead the party in the state.

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*It was reported that as part of an agreement, the state would have a rotational chief minister for two and a half years each.

*Though the rotational CM arrangement was never officially announced, it was never denied also.

* Murmurs of a change started when Bhagel completed two and a half years in power. Deo has been hinting at an alleged conspiracy against him and also walked out of the assembly once after levelling some charges against his own party MLA thought to be close to Bhagel.

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* The action then shifted to Delhi, with both being summoned by the high command. The first round of talks was held on August 24.

* Second round of talks will be held today and the Congress would be hoping to cap the problem in Chhattisgarh, the second party-ruled state that is in turmoil after Punjab.