"Chhattisgarh Can't Become Punjab": Chief Minister Amid Change Of Guard Buzz

The Congress has been in turmoil in Punjab after Amarinder Singh quit as the chief minister and the party's state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned from his post ahead of the crucial assembly elections.

Amid speculation about a possible change of guard in the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday asserted that his state can never become Punjab, and said the two states bear only one similarity - that of having numbers in their names.

The Congress has been in turmoil in Punjab after Amarinder Singh quit as the chief minister and the party's state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned from his post ahead of the crucial assembly elections in the state early next year.

"Chhattisgarh will always remain Chhattisgarh. It cannot become Punjab. The two states have only one similarity that both have numbers in their names," Mr Baghel told reporters at the helipad in Raipur when asked that the BJP has equated Chhattisgarh and Punjab over turmoil in the ruling Congress.

"Punjab is land of punj (five) aab (water). It is made up of five rivers. Similarly Chhattisgarh has derived its name from 'chhattis' (thirty six) 'garh' (fort). No other states have numbers in their names. There is no other similarity between the two states," he added.