Raipur : The prolonged tussle within the Congress in Chhattisgarh took a fresh turn Wednesday as the party suspended two legislators — known to be die-hard supporters of former chief minister Ajit Jogi — for “anti-party activities”.
Jogi and state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel are known to be bitter rivals. Both leaders have spoken out against each other in public in recent months.
“Baghel suspended Siyaram Kaushik, legislator from Bilha constituency of Bilaspur district, and Rajendra Kumar Rai, legislator from Gunderdehi of Durg district, for their anti-party activities,” party spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told reporters.
Party leaders said the decision against the two Jogi loyalists will further escalate the rivalry.
The decision to suspend the two was taken at a meeting of the party’s disciplinary committee chaired by Baghel.
Both the legislators cried foul and said they were “victimised” for their proximity to Jogi.
They alleged that Baghel “misrepresented” the facts before the party high-command in New Delhi.
The Congress has been out of power in Chhattisgarh since December 2003.