State scan: Fight erupts in Chhattisgarh BJP amid graft charges

CM and senior colleague allegedly feeding rumours against each other; New Delhi watching

As the Korba-Visakhapatnam Express chugged into the station in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, on July 23, the deafening slogan “Brijmohan Agrawal zindabad” filled the air. Agrawal, a senior-most minister in the BJP government in the state, was returning from Korba after attending the party’s two-day state executive council meet. Coincidently, Chief Minister Raman Singh was also in the same coach as Agrawal because he (Singh) did not use his chopper owing to inclement weather.

Slogans in honour of Agrawal continued even as Singh came out of the coach to greet the BJP workers gathered on the platform. Agrawal also rushed out and signalled to the party workers that the chief minister was accompanying him. It was then that Agrawal gave way to Singh in the slogans.

The incident at Bilaspur railway station became a topic of discussion. A day before, the political temperature in the otherwise warm city of Korba (also known as the power hub of Chhattisgarh) soared with the statement of BJP National General Secretary Saroj Pandey. She said that the BJP parliamentary party would decide on the new face of the BJP in Chhattisgarh for the 2018 assembly elections.

Pandey's statement stirred up a debate. While most of the ministers refuted the comment and stood by the side of the chief minister, Agrawal maintained a neutral stand and said he would not comment on the observation.

Just two days later, Agrawal hogged the headline of a national newspaper - this time for another reason. The newspaper report revealed an alleged irregularity committed by the minister in purchasing land in the name of his family members for a resort. The land in question belonged to the state's forest department and was donated by the villagers. 

"There is no irregularity and I am legally correct as the sellers misguided and sold the land to my family members," Agrawal said in his clarification. If anyone was guilty, it was the villagers, who covered up the details and sold the land to his family members, he added.

The development has brought out the simmering differences within the Chhattisgarh BJP. And directly or indirectly it connects to the political rivalry between the chief minister and the senior-most minister of his cabinet. In the state's political circles, the political rivalry between the two is an open secret.

The rift between the two leaders has widened because of a serious incident in the state in the past one month. A former BJP leader, Santkumar Netam, held a press conference and accused a member of the personal staff of the chief minister of offering him money to take back a case against former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi. Netam has challenged the caste status of Jogi and the matter is in court.

In the state's political circles there were talks that the Singh camp feels that Netam was backed by Agrawal's supporters. On the other hand, Agrawal's supporters feel that Singh's aides have passed on the land-related documents to the media because there are a few crucial documents that cannot be easily accessed.

The war between the two BJP stalwarts has created room for media gossip. While Agrawal was in New Delhi to attend an official meeting, the social media was abuzz with reports quoting Agrawal that he would come out with startling revelations against the chief minister. Agrawal, however, said that he did not say any such thing and efforts were on to create a rift between him and the chief minister. The minister may try to pacify him, but the chief minister appears to be in no mood to give up the fight. Instead of defending his cabinet colleague when party president Dharamlal Kaushik openly backed the minister, stating that the allegation against Brijmohan Agrawal was politically motivated by the opposition before the elections, the chief minister is taking official steps.

Singh has asked the chief secretary to look into the matter even as the issue is under the observation of even the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). But what gave a new twist to the rivalry is the involvement of New Delhi in the episode.

The chief minister said the party high command had been observing the matter. Though Singh did not so specifically, indications are clear that the BJP high command would take action against Agrawal.

Party functionaries in New Delhi have taken a serious note of the matter. A few were of the opinion that the state issue should not have been pushed to the national committee.

Amid simmering factionalism in the top party echelons in Chhattisgarh, the party higher-ups are keeping their cards close to their chest.