From prison to top post? Chhattisgarh CM front-runner is Baghel

After a landslide victory in Chhattisgarh, Congress has a problem of plenty when it comes to potential CM candidates. It appears that four leaders, PCC chief Bhupesh Baghel, TS Singhdeo, Tamradwaj Sahu and Charandas Mahant, are in the race for chief ministership, though Baghel is the front-runner.

When Baghel took over, Congress was still reeling from the shock of losing nearly its entire frontline leadership in the Jhiram Ghati Maoist massacre of May 2013. The then PCC chief, Nandkumar Patel, veteran leader V C Shukla, and senior tribal leader Mahendra Karma were among those slain.

Baghel not only revived demoralised party workers, he successfully marginalised former CM Ajit Jogi and his family. Inside and outside the assembly, Baghel took the BJP regime head-on, quite in contrast to the previous 10 years when most senior Congress leaders were seen as “soft” on the BJP government, and particularly wary of saying anything against CM Raman Singh. As his political attacks intensified, cases were registered against Baghel and his family members in connection with an alleged land grabbing case. He even did a stint in jail before the Congress high command persuaded him to come out on bail and focus on election campaigning.


Leader of Opposition T S Singhdeo, a soft-spoken leader who is the perfect foil to the bolder Baghel, is also an aspirant for the top post. Singhdeo (66) is one of the richest politicians in central India, with declared assets of more than Rs 500 crore.

With Congress performing well in the OBC belt in the central plains, sitting MP Tamradwaj Sahu, who is also president of AICC’s OBC cell, is seen as someone who can help Congress win back the politically aware and powerful Sahu community. However, it will be difficult for the Congress to ignore the Kurmis, another OBC community whose prominent face is Baghel.

Kurmis and Sahus constitute about 36% of the state’s population. Another OBC leader waiting in the wings is former Union minister Charandas Mahant.