RAIPUR: A day after he was replaced as Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CGPCC) president, tribal leader Mohan Markam is all set to be sworn in as a minister in the Bhupesh Baghel government on Friday.
Markam, who continued as state Congress president for four years, is taking over as a minister with just six months left for the assembly elections.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced on Thursday that the resignation of Education Minister Prem Sai Singh Tekam was accepted, and Mohan Markam will take oath as a minister on Friday. A letter to fix the time for the swearing-in ceremony has been sent to Raj Bhavan, and the time is yet to be finalized, indicating a reshuffle in the portfolios of ministers.
Although the CM did not clarify Markam's portfolio, speculations are rife that the former teacher will be appointed as the new education minister.
Tribal leader Markam, 56, represents the Kondagaon constituency, a Scheduled Tribe reserved seat, and was the first tribal president of the Chhattisgarh Congress committee since the inception of the state. He served as the state Congress committee president from June 2019 to July 2023 and was replaced by another tribal leader and MP from Bastar division, Deepak Baij, on Wednesday.
As PCC chief, Markam’s recent decision to reshuffle his general secretaries and assign them new tasks did not go well with those in the government. AICC general secretary Kumari Selja immediately revoked his order allocating new assignments to general secretaries.
