The Congress MLAs had reached Delhi in batches amid speculations about a leadership change (File)
Most of the Congress Members of Legislative Assembly from Chhattisgarh who had been camping in Delhi in an apparent show of strength in support of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel returned to Raipur on Monday without meeting any senior leader.
The MLAs reached Delhi in batches in the past few days amid speculations about a leadership change in the state.
According to sources, over 30 MLAs returned to Raipur in a special flight on Monday evening and the remaining few will leave the national capital soon.
The MLAs had said that they wanted to meet All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of Chhattisgarh PL Punia and convey that Rahul Gandhi should extend the duration of his proposed tour to the state, so that all MLAs can benefit from it.
However, many were viewing their Delhi visit as a show of strength in support of Mr Baghel amid speculations over the possibility of a leadership change in Chhattisgarh where cabinet minister TS Singh Deo is vying for the chief minister's post.
MLA Brihaspat Singh, who is known to be close to Mr Baghel, told PTI, "We spoke to Punia ji over phone on Sunday night and he mentioned the incident of Lakhimpur Kheri and said that now the meeting may be delayed. He will meet us when he next visits Raipur."
Eight people were killed -- four farmers allegedly run over and four people in a convoy of BJP workers who were lynched -- on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers' protest in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh.
Mr Singh once again reiterated that there is no question of a change of leadership in the state and the government will complete its term of five years under the leadership of Mr Baghel.
The demand for a change of guard reared its head in Chhattisgarh after Mr Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as chief minister in June 2021.
The camp of cabinet minister Mr Singh Deo has claimed that the high command in 2018 had agreed to hand over the post to him after the government completed half its term.
The Congress high command summoned both Mr Baghel and Mr Singh Deo to Delhi in August to resolve the feud.
It appeared that Mr Baghel had managed to avert, for the time being, a leadership change when he told reporters in Raipur recently that Rahul Gandhi had agreed to visit the state "on his invitation", and those talking about rotating the chief minister's post were promoting political instability.
However, there has been constant speculation over the matter.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)