Six Chhattisgarh Congress MLAs Leave For Delhi

Amid political jostling in the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh, six party MLAs left the state capital for Delhi on Friday.

Among MLAs seen at the Chhattisgarh airport were Shishupal Sori, Santram Netam, Kismat Lal, Ram Kumar Yadav, Kawasi Lakhma and KK Dhruv.

Santram Netam said that he was going to Delhi for "personal reason" and the presence of other MLAs at the airport was merely a coincidence.

He added that any meeting with senior party leaders will be a part of the routine they follow when they visit the national capital.

Another MLA Kismat Lal said he was going to meet his daughter who is studying in Delhi.

Asked about the issue of change in the state chief minister, Mr Lal said that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was doing "good work" in the state and there should not be any change in the leadership.

Earlier on Wednesday, more than a dozen Chhattisgarh Congress MLAs landed in Delhi to extend their support to Mr Baghel for the chief minister post.

However, Mr Baghel on Thursday said that the MLAs' visit did not have a political objective.

"The MLAs can't even go anywhere? If someone has gone there, it shouldn't be seen from a political angle. If a politician is going somewhere, it's obvious that he'll meet political persons only. PL Punia isn't in Delhi, how can anyone meet him there?" said Mr Baghel.

Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo has been demanding a change of guard in the state.

After the Bhupesh Baghel-led government completed two-and-a-half years in office in June, the supporters of TS Singh Deo raised the issue of rotational chief ministership.

Congress won the assembly polls held in December 2018 with a thumping majority.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)