Congress Appoints TS Singh Deo as Deputy CM of Chhattisgarh Months Before Polls

'Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Saheb for his responsibility as Deputy CM,' Bhupesh Baghel said.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel (left) and now Deputy CM TS Singh Deo.

(Photo: Twitter/Bhupesh Baghel.)

The Congress on Wednesday, 28 June, appointed TS Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh ahead of the Assembly elections in the state later this year.

"INC President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for appointment of TS Singh Deo as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh," Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said on Twitter.

"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."

KC Venugopal

Meanwhile, Deo expressed his gratitude to the party, and said that he would begin work in his new role for the upcoming Assembly elections.

"First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for this responsibility given to me by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. We have to go ahead by taking everyone together and try to complete the work in the limited time we have (until the State election)," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Deo and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel have reportedly had several disagreements in the past. Hence, the appointment of the former could have several implications for the upcoming Assembly elections, as well as the post of CM if the Congress is re-elected to power in the state.

Baghel, however, took to Twitter after the announcement to congratulate Deo in a show of unity. "We are ready. Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Saheb for his responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister," he said.