Chhattisgarh : Differences within the ruling Congress party were clearly visible in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday with health minister TS Singh Deo walking out of the state assembly demanding clarity from his own government over allegations that the minister’s relative was involved in an alleged attack on a Congress legislator Brihaspat Singh on Sunday.“I don’t find myself worthy to be part of the session of this House until the government orders an enquiry or releases a statement,” Singh Deo said.

He was unsatisfied with state home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu’s short statement related to the alleged road rage incident involving the convoy of MLA Brihaspat Singh on July 24.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to the minister’s statement claiming it made no reference to the allegations made by MLA Singh against party colleague and minister Singh Deo.

Assembly speaker Charan Das Mahant said, since he had not received any complaint either from the MLA or the health minister, he was not in a position to force the home minister to speak on the issue.

Amid the ensuing chaos in the assembly over the sensational allegations, Singh Deo stood up and said, “Yesterday, the chief minister called us in his chamber and a discussion (on the alleged rift) took place... Even after that such a limited statement (from the home minister) came before the House”.

“I do not believe that I am in a position to attend the House till the government presents a clear reply on the issue,” he said and left the assembly premises, refusing to give any statement to the media.

On Sunday, MLA Brihaspat Singh alleged that his convoy was attacked at the behest of TS Singh Deo in Surguja district. Singh, the MLA from Ramanujan seat, said three persons, including a relative of the minister, attacked his vehicle. Singh Deo rejected the allegations and said he had instructed the police to take strict action against the accused.

ingh then alleged that he was attacked because he had praised chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and said he will continue to be the chief minister of the state, which he claims didn’t go down well with Singh Deo, a perceived contender for the post.

When Congress came to power in the state in December 2018, Baghel and two of his senior cabinet colleagues T S Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu were seen as leading contenders for the CM’s post. Since then, speculations were rife that consensus was built for the top post based on a two-and-a-half-year power sharing formula between Baghel and Singh. While Singh Deo has refused to speak on the ration issue saying he cannot speak on what was discussed behind closed doors, Baghel recently ruled out such a possibility.

On Monday, the BJP demanded that the House should take cognisance of the issue and order an inquiry. Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said such allegations had never been levelled by a lawmaker in the history of the state.