BJP asks Congress govt to issue financial status of Chhattisgarh on white paper

On Thursday, June 17, as the Congress government in Chhattisgarh completed half of its tenure, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the state government saying that it has completely failed on all grounds.

Raman Singh, BJP leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister, asked the Congress government to issue a white paper on the financial situation of the state.

2.5 years formula

The buzz of '2.5 years formula'—speculation that another chief minister was to take over for the rest of the government's tenure—emerged as the Congress-led government completed its half tenure. 

Ravindra Choubey, a senior minister in the Baghel cabinet has dismissed the speculations saying no such formula exists, and there is no discussion or chance of any changes at the top. He said the Congress government will complete its five-year tenure under Baghel, and added that Baghel was the face of Chhattisgarh Congress and that the party will be in power in the state for 20 years.

Speculations suggest that if not at the chief ministerial level, some changes in the cabinet or some government-level political appointments are likely to occur.

In early June, BJP MLA  Ajay Chandrakar took to Twitter and wrote, "The situation in Chhattisgarh will be like Punjab after June 17," in an apparent reference to the power tussle in Punjab. Chandrakar said, "If there is Maharaja in Punjab, there is Maharaja in Chhattisgarh too," adding "the Maharaja of Chhattisgarh is not inferior to anyone." Singh Deo comes from a royal family and the comments are presumably aimed at him.

There have been talks of '2.5 years formula' in Chhattisgarh's power corridors ever since Bhupesh Baghel was chosen from among four strong contenders to be chief minister of the state after Congress's thumping win in assembly polls of 2018.

(Image credit: ANI/PTI)