New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) Most of the Congress MLAs 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.

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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 AICC incharge of Chhattisgarh P L 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.

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However, many were viewing their Delhi visit as a show of strength in support of Baghel amid speculations over the possibility of a leadership change in Chhattisgarh where cabinet minister T S Singhdeo is vying for the chief minister's post.

MLA Brihaspat Singh, who is known to be close to Baghel, told PTI, "We spoke to Punia ji 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.

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 Baghel.

The demand for a change of guard reared its head in Chhattisgarh after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as chief minister in June 2021.

The camp of cabinet minister T S Singhdeo 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 Baghel and Singhdeo to Delhi in August to resolve the feud.

It appeared that 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 CM's post were promoting political instability.

However, there has been constant speculation over the matter.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)