Rahul to decide on Chhattisgarh chief minister

Like in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will decide on the Chief Minister's name in Chhattisgarh after a meeting of the newly-elected Congress MLAs.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the Congress observer for the meeting of the newly-elected legislators, told reporters shortly after his arrival here that the there is a procedure which the party always follows for such elections.

"We have to consult the MLAs, seek their consensus and then only a decision will be taken."

The meeting is likely to authorise Gandhi to take the final call.

Asked about the possibility of state unit chief Bhupesh Baghel being made the chief minister, Kharge said: "Don't ask about single names. We have a procedure."

To another query about reports of confusion on the issue because of presence of four contenders, he said, "No confusion. Our people are united, solid. They know each other, they understand each other. So this problem will not arise."

In Chhattisgarh the Congress scored a landslide victory decimating the ruling BJP by winning 68 seats in the 90-member assembly.

--IANS

ps/vsc/vm