The delay by Chhattisgarh government in giving permission to coal blocks meant for power projects in Rajasthan came up in a meeting on Sunday between former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel.
The meeting, held at Mr Gandhi’s residence and attended by party general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K.C. Venugopal, reviewed the on-going Assembly elections, strategy to be adopted post March 10 results and discussed the schedule of organisational elections that will culminate in the election of a new party president by September-October this year.
“The on-going elections and the strategy after the elections were discussed,” Mr. Baghel told reporters after the meeting.
“Detailed discussion on polls in five States and the way forward was done. There are challenges posed by the present Government under which the Constitution and democracy are under threat. Congress is the only Opposition party today where people have expectations. It’s our duty to see what we can contribute to the party,” added Mr. Gehlot.
The Rajasthan Chief Minister also talked about his government’s the new pension system (NPS) with the old pension system (OPS) for the State government employees. “You can’t fathom the feeling of the people as they met me after we took the decision to implement OPS,” he said.
Though the two leaders didn’t speak anything about the coal issue on record, sources confirmed to The Hindu that the issue of Chattisgarh government’s delay in giving permission to coal blocks meant for Rajasthan came up in the discussions.
The delay by Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh had prompted Mr. Gehlot to write a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi last December, urging her to intervene and expedite the clearances.
Mr. Baghel is supposed to have put across his view in the meeting on Sunday, said the source cited above. The coal blocks, allotted to the Adani group, covers forest areas and would require clearance from the Union Environment Ministry and that process is underway.
However, the Chhattishgarh Chief Minister is said to have informed his colleagues about the opposition to mining by the local population and how it could politically cost the Congress in the tribal belts of Sarguja and Bastar.
The issue of organisational elections in Chhattishgarh and two possible vacancies in the Rajya Sabha from the State in June is also said to have been discussed. It was decided that the process of election would start from April 1 this year and election of block committees would be held in May.
“It was also discussed that the Congress-ruled States would be implementing the people-friendly policies in which Chhattisgarh’s flagship scheme Godhan Nyay Yojana would be implemented on priority,” the source added.
