Even as it celebrates winning the Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled Hindi heartland of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and possibly Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is faced with the problem of plenty with multiple claimants to the chief ministerial chair in all the three states.
In Chhattisgarh, where the Congress stormed to power after 15 long years dismantling the Raman Singh-led BJP, the race for the hot seat is primarily between state party chief Bhupesh Baghel, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly T.S. Singh Deo and party's lone Lok Sabha MP from the state, Tamradhwaj Sahu.
Besides the trio, former Union Minister in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet, Charan Das Mahant, is also said to be in the reckoning.
A former state minister, Baghel who is all set to retain his Patan constituency, is said to be leading the Chief Ministerial race. On the flip side though, he has been indicted and was arrested by the CBI for allegedly distributing a "fake sleaze video" featuring a BJP state minister.
Currently out on bail, there was speculation of him being replaced following his arrest in September ahead of the Assembly polls.
Political pundits are also betting on Sahu, perceived as the "blue-eyed boy" of Congress President Rahul Gandhi. He is the chief of Congress' state OBC unit and his elevation, many believe, could help in wooing OBC voters for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Asked to comment on who will be the Chief Minister, both Baghel and Deo, who is also on his way to retain his Ambikapur constituency, said the decision rests with the Central leadership and there was "no competition" between them.
The situation is similar in Rajasthan, where former Chief Minister and party veteran Ashok Gehlot is in the contention for the hot seat alongside state party chief Sachin Pilot.
In the build up to the polls, there were murmurs that the party was inclined to field only one of them with a view to avoiding a tussle. However, the party subsequently fielded both of them -- Gehlot retaining his traditional Sardarpura seat and Pilot, in his maiden assembly polls, got the better of lone Muslim BJP candidate Yoonus Khan from Tonk constituency.
Considered an experienced administrator, two-time Chief Minister Gehlot appears to have the edge over Pilot. On the other hand, Pilot, son of late Congress veteran Rajesh Pilot, is considered more popular at the grassroots level and is also being credited for lifting the party's fortunes in the state.
While both Gehlot and Pilot parried media queries regarding who would be the chief minister, Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said in Jaipur the party has convened a meeting of the newly elected legislators on Wednesday to decide the issue.
In Madhya Pradesh, where the party is shy of the magical figure in the 230-member Assembly but is confident of forming a government, it has two of its prominent leaders -- Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia -- in the fray for the top post. Both state Congress chief Nath and Guna MP Scindia did not contest the Assembly polls.
Among the longest serving and senior-most members of Lok Sabha, Nath's experience as a political strategist could tilt the balance in his favour.
Besides the legacy of Madhavrao Scindia, his late father, Jyotiraditya is perceived as leader who can connect with the youth and with the state having a fair size of young voters, the Congress may go for him with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Exuding confidence of the Congress forming the government, Scindia refused to comment on who would be the chief minister saying the decision was to be taken by the party high-command.
--IANS
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