Haven’t received TS Singh Deo’s resignation yet: Bhupesh Baghel

New Delhi, July 17: A day after Chhatisgarh Minister T S Singh Deo quit from the Panchayat and Rural development department, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Sunday said that he is yet to receive the resignation letter and that he learned about the latter's move through the media.

Singh Deo, locked in a turf war with Baghel in the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh, on Saturday resigned from the panchayat and rural development department.

He will still remain the minister for health and family welfare, medical education, twenty-point implementation, and commercial tax (GST) departments.

Asked about the development, Baghel told reporters that he learnt about the minister's move through the media and after he receives the resignation letter, he will think over it.

"I have not spoken to him (Singh Deo). I tried to call him last night, but he could not be contacted," the CM said.

The Congress has called the state legislature party meeting at 7 pm on Sunday which will be held at the chief minister's official residence.

Discussions would be held on the July 18 presidential poll and the state Assembly's monsoon session scheduled to begin on July 20.

The political situation after Singh Deo quit one department would also be discussed, a party leader here said.

Singh Deo had in his resignation letter to the CM claimed not a single house was built for homeless people under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana as funds were not allotted despite "repeated request".

In a four-page resignation letter addressed to the chief minister, Singh Deo cited various reasons, saying he was unable to fulfil the department's targets as per the vision of the Jan Ghoshna Patra (poll manifesto), given the "current scenario".

The political development in Chhattisgarh comes a year ahead of the Assembly elections in the Congress-ruled state.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly, the Congress has 71 MLAs, BJP 14, while the JCC (J) and BSP have three and two members, respectively.