'Party has given recognition...Will have collective leadership'

Late on Wednesday night, with less than six months to go for a crucial assembly election, the Congress announced the appointment of TS Singh Deo as Chhattisgarh’s new deputy chief minister. Singh Deo’s relationship with chief minister Baghel, both of whom vied for the top spot when the Congress swept to power in 2018, has often been fractious, with MLA’s being paraded in Delhi in shows of strength, and Singh Deo even resigning from one of his ministries. In an interview to Dipankar Ghose a day after his appointment, Singhdeo said that the idea of his being deputy CM was first floated in 2022, that the party must work together, and that while Baghel is captain and he is “vice-captain”, there will be “collective leadership.” Edited Excerpts:

- Dipankar Ghose

TS SINGH DEO - DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER, CHHATTISGARH

When was the idea of you being deputy chief minister first floated? 

There was some mention of it after I had left the panchayat department [in July 2022]. The decision had to be taken by the high command and whenever the high command told me whatever they wanted, I would have abided by that.

But if it was mooted at that point, why the delay?

I could not have an interaction with the high command. That has taken quite some time.

Will this appointment not seem like a climb down from the sense that you were in the running for chief minister but are now deputy chief minister? 

It may [seem like a climb down] but it may also not. If you see it from the point of view that nothing was happening and the five-year period [of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh] is coming to a close, then the high command has given you some recognition.