Bhupesh Baghel is an Indian politician, member of the legislative assembly, and one of the prominent leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC). He has served as an important minister in several state cabinets of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Bhupesh has held the post of the third Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He was also Chhattisgarh’s first Minister for Revenue, Public Health Engineering and Relief Work. He hit the headlines in 2023 after he was named as one of the conspirators behind the Mahadev App scam by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Wiki/Biography
Bhupesh Kumar Baghel was born on Wednesday, 23 August 1961 (age 62 years; as of 2023) in Durg, Madhya Pradesh (now in Chhattisgarh), India. His zodiac sign is Virgo. Bhupesh completed his schooling at the Higher Secondary School Marar Patan in Durg in 1978. In 1983, he did his graduation with a BSc at the Science College, affiliated with the Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, in Raipur. After completing his graduation, he relocated to his village, where he did farming for a while. He attained a post-graduate degree in science from the Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University in 1986.
A photo of Bhupesh taken when he was studying in college
In an interview, Bhupesh revealed that since childhood, he had a great interest in politics. He further said that he began his political career in the early 1980s under the guidance of Chandulal Chandrakar, whom he considers his guru, and began advocating for the separation of Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh. While pursuing graduation, Baghel became a member of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 9″
Hair Colour: Salt and Pepper
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel with Priyanka Gandhi
Family & Caste
Bhupesh Baghel belongs to a Kurmi Kshatriya (OBC) family in Durg, Chhattisgarh.
Parents & Siblings
Bhupesh Baghel was born to Nand Kumar Baghel, a farmer and a Samajwadi Party (SP) politician, and Bindeshwari Baghel. Bindeshwari passed away at the age of 78 in 2019 following a prolonged illness.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel with his mother and father
Nand Kumar, who had been unwell for a long period, passed away at the age of 89 on 8 January 2024; he had been undergoing medical treatment at Shri Balaji Multispeciality Hospital in Raipur for three months before his demise. He has two sisters, and his younger sister lives abroad.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel with his sisters
Wife & Children
He is married to Mukteshwari Baghel, who is a homemaker. They got married to each other on 3 February 1982. Their marriage was arranged by their parents.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel taken during his marriage ceremony
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel with Mukteshwari Baghel and their grandson
The couple has four kids, a son, and three daughters. His son, Chaitanya Baghel, looks after his family’s agricultural land and runs a real estate business.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel with his son
His daughters’ names are Dipti Baghel, an assistant professor, Smita Baghel, and Divya Chandrakar.
A photo of Smita Baghel
Other Relatives
His father-in-law, Dr Narendra Dev Verma, is a renowned author.
A photo of Dr. Narendra Dev Verma
His nephew, Vijay Baghel, is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician and a Member of the Lok Sabha.
A photo of Vijay Baghel
Religion
Bhupesh Baghel follows Hinduism.
Address
He resides at Mansarovar Awasiya Parisar, Bhilai-3, P.O. Bhilai-3, Tahsil Bhilai-3, District- Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
Signature/Autograph
Signature of Bhupesh Baghel
Career
Party Politics
In 1985, he joined the Indian Youth Congress (IYC). From 1990 to 1994, Baghel served as the president of the District Youth Congress Committee. He later became a member of the All India Congress Committee. Owing to his leadership and managerial skills, Baghel went on to hold the posts of General Secretary and Program Coordinator in the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. In 1994, he became the vice president of the Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress Committee. He remained in the post till 1995. In October 2014, Baghel became the President of the Indian National Congress in Chhattisgarh. His appointment to the post came at a time when top Chhattisgarh Congress leaders like Mahendra Karma, Vidya Chharan Shukla, and Nand Kumar Patel were killed by Naxals in 2013. Bhupesh is credited with making policies that aided in the upliftment of the functioning of the INC in Chhattisgarh which was severely impacted by the killing of the leaders in 2013. He also initiated numerous “Padayatras” to build rapport with the residents, especially the tribal population. He also played a crucial role in improving the image of the INC that got impacted severely in the state due to the leak of the audio tape of the INC member Ajit Pramod Kumar Jogi, the first CM of Chhattisgarh. He is credited with devising strategies that led to the victory of the INC in the 2018 state assembly elections. In an interview, a senior INC politician said,
Baghel led from the front working at the grassroots as well as coordinating with the central and state leaders. As state party president, he has worked very hard.”
He remained in the post till December 2019. He was designated as the All India Congress Committee’s observer for the Assam unit during the 2021 Assembly elections.
Electoral Politics
Madhya Pradesh
In 1993, Baghel was elected to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly for the first time from the Patan constituency on the Indian National Congress ticket. In the elections, he received a total of 87,254 votes. He was re-elected to the assembly in 1998 after he secured 96,703 votes. He later became a part of the Digvijaya Singh cabinet and was handed over the charge of the Ministry of Public Grievance. In December 1999, he took over the Ministry of Transport. He remained in the post till the passage of the 2001 Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act. In January 2000, he became chairman of the Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. During his tenure as an MLA in MP, he has served as a member of the Estimates and Consultative Committee of the Aviation Department. He has also served as a member of the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, director of the Housing Board, member of the Backward Classes Organization, and member of the Sainik Board. His tenure as an MLA of the state ended following the separation of Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel taken with senior INC leaders
Chhattisgarh
When Chhattisgarh came into existence in 2000, Baghel became the state’s first Minister of Revenue, Public Health Engineering, and Relief Work; he remained a minister until 2003. He became a member of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly in 2003 from the same constituency. From 2003 to 2008, he was the deputy leader of the opposition in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. In 2004, he was the candidate for the Parliamentary election from Durg Lok Sabha Constituency but he lost the election. In 2008, Bhupesh was defeated by Vijay Baghel, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, by a margin of 7842 votes. He contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from the Raipur constituency; however, he lost the elections.
Bhupesh campaigning during an election rally
In 2013, he won the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha elections from the Patan constituency by receiving 68,185 votes. In 2018, Baghel contested the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections from the same constituency. In the elections, he emerged victorious over his nearest rival, Motilal Sahu, a BJP candidate, by a margin of 9343 votes.
Bhupesh Baghel addressing the public for the 2018 Assembly Election
Following his victory in the elections, Bhupesh was appointed Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He became the third CM of the state. As a CM, he kept the departments of Finance, Mining, General Administration, Public Relations, and Electronics and Information Technology to himself.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel taken while he was being administered the oath of the Chief Minister
As soon as he took over the office, he waved off the loans given to the farmers, which he had promised during the election campaigning. According to sources, his decision to let go of the loans benefitted more than 2 million farmers in the state. He also reduced the per unit electricity consumption charge, almost reducing it to half. He also gained popularity for reversing the previous government’s decision to employ teachers on a contractual basis and creating approximately 15,000 vacancies for permanent teachers. He was also praised for his role in the repatriation of the land to the tribal people that was taken from them by corporations in 2005 as per an accord signed between them and the then government.
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel taken while he was addressing the media as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh
In 2022, he initiated the Chhattisgarhi Olympics intending to promote local and traditional games such as langdi, bhaura, bati (kancha), and pitthul. In an interview, Baghel spoke about organising the event and said,
These games are not only entertaining but also beneficial for maintaining good physical and mental health. In rural areas, children, elderly, and youth—all will engage in these games for entertainment and to keep themselves fit.”
School kids carrying the placard of the sport in which they played in the Chhattisgarhi Olympics
He served in the post till 2023. Bhupesh Baghel contested and won the 2023 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections from the Patan constituency; he won the election by a margin of 19,723 votes. He has also served as the chairman of the State Planning Commission of Chhattisgarh.
Notable Schemes and Projects Implemented As The CM of Chhattisgarh
Bhupesh gained immense popularity for implementing several policies and initiating numerous projects during his tenure as the CM. These policies were also adopted and implemented in various other states owing to their success. Some of his notable welfare schemes are –
- Narva, Garva, Ghurva, Bari – The program aimed to promote water conservation, protect livestock, encourage the use of organic compost from household waste, and undertake the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in backyard gardens for both personal consumption and additional income generation.
- Mukhymantri Haat Bazar Clinic Yojana – The government initiated this scheme in 2019 with the intent of providing healthcare facilities to the population living in the underdeveloped areas of Chhattisgarh, especially the tribal areas. In this scheme, mobile vans were stationed in the local markets with trained medical staff. The scheme was a success as a result of which the World Health Organisation (WHO) made a documentary on it.
A government van deployed in the Mukhymantri Haat Bazar Clinic Yojana
- Chief Minister Dai-Didi Clinic Scheme – This scheme focused on providing medical care to the female population in the state. This scheme also had a mobile unit with an all-women staff. Following the success of this scheme, many neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh implemented this scheme.
A mobile medical bus deployed under the Chief Minister Dai-Didi Clinic Scheme
- Malaria Mukt Bastar Scheme – The scheme was initiated in 2020 in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The scheme aimed to conduct Malaria tests on the residents of the region and provide free of cost medical treatment to the affected people. Before the implementation of the scheme, the region had the highest Annual Parasite Incidence (API); however, a year after the implementation of the scheme, it recorded the lowest API ranking.
Bhupesh Baghel having his blood tested during the launch of the Malaria Mukt Bastar Scheme
- Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana (RGKNY) – This program was launched in May 2020. For it, the state government allocated approximately Rs. 5700 crore, which was to be distributed among the farmers. The objective of the policy was to motivate the farmers to produce more paddy, sugarcane, maize, soya bean, pulses, and oilseeds in the Kharif season 2021-22 to reduce the state’s dependency on imported crops. Many other similar schemes originated from the RGKNY scheme such as Godhan Nyay Yojana and Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana (RGGBKMNY).
A poster of the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana announcing the benefits that the scheme offers
- Godhan Nyay Yojana – This scheme, implemented in July 2020, was aimed at promoting methods of organic farming among farmers to increase crop yield. Under it, the state government bought cow dung from the farmers and cattle keepers at Rs. 2 per kilogram. The purchased cow dung was used by the government to make vermicompost. The manure was then sold to the farmers at Rs. 8 per kg. Under the same scheme, the government began buying cow urine at Rs. 4 per litre with the intent to use it for manufacturing pest control products and natural liquid fertilizer. Under this scheme, the authorities established numerous industrial parks, especially in the Maoist-impacted areas, to generate employment opportunities. The scheme was implemented in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
A poster announcing Chhattisgarh’s achievement in the Godhan Nyay Yojana
- Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan – The government launched this scheme in October 2020. The intent of this scheme is to combat malnutrition and anaemia being faced by residents of Chhattisgarh, especially women and children. Before the launch of the scheme, a Suposhan Abhiyan was launched in the Naxal-affected area including Dantewada. In this scheme, doctors and nutritionists prepared a diet chart according to the age and gender of a person, while the government provided food/ration to the needy at a very low cost. Baghel, in an interview, talked about this scheme and said,
The campaign was intended to turn Chhattisgarh into a malnutrition and anaemic free – state in three years. We have secured very encouraging results under the scheme blending it with other integrated plans.”
Bhupesh Baghel’s photo taken while he was feeding a child during the launch of the Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan
- Padhai Tuhar Dwar Scheme – Under this scheme, which was implemented during the COVID-19 lockdown in the state, the government made books and other types of study materials available for students online. For those kids who did not have access to the internet, they were given the option to complete their syllabus through loudspeakers and radio. Under it, the government, in collaboration with the NGOs, established Mohalla Classes across the state, where the teachers could give lessons.
Bhupesh Baghel interacting with the students studying in the Mohalla Classes
- Swami Atmanand English Medium School Scheme – Baghel announced the implementation of this scheme in November 2020 as a dedication to Swami Atmanand, a social activist. Under this scheme, the government initially established 52 schools with modern facilities like that of the private schools for children belonging to economically weaker families. In the same scheme, the government also established numerous English medium colleges, especially in the backward regions of Chhattisgarh, to promote higher education.
A photo of Bhupesh taken while he was inaugurating one of the Swami Atmanand English Medium Schools
- The Ram Van Gaman Path Project – This is a pan-India project which aims at developing the path that Lord Rama took according to the Ramayana. For this project, the Government of Chhattisgarh allocated Rs. 137.45 crore.
- Mukhyamantri Shahri Slum Swasthya Yojana – In November 2020, Baghel brought this scheme with the ambition to provide free-of-cost medical treatment and other medical facilities to the people living in the slums in Chhattisgarh. Under this scheme, the government allotted more than 120 mobile medical vans with trained and experienced staff to go from slum to slum.
A mobile medical unit that was deployed in the Mukhyamantri Shahri Slum Swasthya Yojana
- Mahtari Dular Yojana – This scheme was launched in May 2021 with the objective of financially assisting school-going children who had lost their parents in the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scheme, it was announced that children in Classes 1 to 8 would be given a monthly incentive of Rs. 500, whereas, children in Classes 9 to 12 would be given a monthly incentive of Rs. 1000. It was also announced that the cost incurred for the studies would be paid by the government and children would be given a priority in admission in Swami Atmanand English Medium Schools.
- Mor Zameen-Mor Makaan Yojana – This scheme was initiated by Bhupesh Baghel by amalgamating the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and 19 other central and state-sponsored schemes. It aimed at providing modular homes to the needy. For this scheme, the Chhattisgarh government was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Award in 2021.
A poster of the Mor Zameen-Mor Makaan Yojana
General Elections
He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Rajnandgaon constituency and lost to BJPs Santosh Pandey by 44,411 votes.
Controversies
Brief Details of IPCs
- 1 charge related to the punishment of criminal conspiracy (IPC Section-120B)
- 1 charge related to forgery for the purpose of harming reputation (IPC Section-469)
- 1 charge related to using as genuine a forged document or electronic record (IPC Section-471)
Sex CD Controversy
In October 2016, a journalist named Vinod Verma was taken into custody from Ghaziabad by the Chhattisgarh Police after a complaint was lodged by the then PWD Minister of Chhattisgarh Rajesh Munat. According to the complaint of Munat, Verma asked for money from Munat by threatening to circulate a “fake” sex tape of him among the rival politicians. According to the cops, they recovered 500 copies of the tape. During interrogation, Verma revealed the names of a few influential businessmen as well as the name of Bhupesh Baghel. Later, the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took Baghel into custody. In his defence, Bhupesh maintained his innocence and claimed that it was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s work against him. According to sources, Bhupesh refused to hire a lawyer to defend himself and went on a protest against the government. In October 2019, the Supreme Court stayed the trial against Bhupesh. Bhupesh talked about the controversy, in an interview, and said,
I am innocent. The government is implicating me after the black flag demonstration. The people of Chhattisgarh will reply to it.”
Rice Mill Scam
In 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a complaint in which it claimed that the Chhattisgarh government, under Baghel’s leadership, inflated the money given to the custom paddy millers. According to sources, the rate was increased from Rs. 40 per quintal to Rs. 120 per quintal, generating kickbacks worth Rs. 175 crore. Bhupesh denied the allegations of the ED and refuted the claims. He also lashed out at the ED for working according to the BJP.
Liquor Scam
In 2023, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Anwar Dhebar, the brother of Raipur Mayor and an Indian National Congress member Aijaz Dhebar, in an Rs. 2161 crore liquor scandal that took place in 2019. Later, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Baghel of playing a role in the scam. They also claimed that Anwar used to give 15% as a commission to the senior members of the Chhattisgarh government. However, Bhupesh claimed that he had nothing to do with the scam and that the BJP was trying to malign his image among the voters due to the 2023 Assembly elections. He spoke about it, in an interview, and said,
These allegations have been levelled keeping in view the [Assembly] elections [due later this year]. They should disclose how much mobile and immobile assets have they seized. The [premises belonging to] the same set of people are raided by the IT Income Tax first and then the ED, but they do not issue a press note declaring that how much money was found in whose house. This is only a conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to defame us.”
Mahadev App Case
Bhupesh Baghel was in a controversy when his name cropped up in the Mahadev betting app case in November 2023. On 3 November 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that the app’s promoters, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, paid bribes of Rs. 508 crores to Baghel. Some sources, on the other hand, claimed that Shubham Soni, a key accused in the case, confessed in a video to making these payments to Baghel. Soni further claimed that Baghel encouraged him to establish a gambling business in Dubai. Baghel, however, later responded to these allegations on social media and denied any connection with Soni. He, moreover, accused the ED of defaming him with baseless accusations.
आज कुछ समाचार चैनलों ने एक वीडियो दिखाया है जिसमें एक व्यक्ति यह दावा कर रहा है कि वह मुझसे मिला और मैंने उसे संरक्षण देने का आश्वासन दिया और उसे दुबई जाकर व्यवसाय करने का भी सुझाव दिया.
मुझे आश्चर्य है कि एक अनजान व्यक्ति के बयान को सभी ज़िम्मेदार टीवी चैनल किस आधार पर चला रहे…
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) November 5, 2023
Awards & Honours
- In 2021, he received the Mahatma Phule Samta Award from the All India Mahatma Phule Samta Parisha.
Mahatma Phule Samta Award being presented to Bhupesh Baghel
- In 2023, Bhupesh Baghel was honoured with an honourary doctorate degree by the Sorbonne University for his special initiative to advance Chhattisgarh’s rural economy with limited utilization of local resources.
Sorbonne University presenting an honourary degree to Bhupesh Baghel
- He was bestowed an honourary degree in doctorate by the Hemchand Yadav Vishwavidyalaya (Durg University) in the same year.
Car Collection
He owns a Mahindra Alturas G4.
Salary/Income
As of January 2024, Bhupesh Baghel earned a salary of Rs. 1,60,000 + other allowances as a Member of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. His income in the financial year 2022-2023 was estimated to be Rs. 29,67,109.
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Deposits in Banks, Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Financial Companies: Rs. 56,03,921
- Bonds, Debentures, and Shares in companies: Rs. 2,000
- LIC or other insurance Policies: Rs. 31,056
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 38,20,286
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 19,26,32,206
- Residential Buildings: Rs. 93,07,038
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2023. It excludes the assets owned by his wife.
Net Worth
Bhupesh Baghel’s net worth for the year 2023 was estimated to be Rs. 21,12,16,627. It excludes the net worth of his wife.
Favourites
- Film: Abhimaan (1973), Chupke Chupke (1975)
- Politician: Jayaprakash Narayan
- Mobile Game: Candy Crush
Facts/Trivia
- His followers, friends, and family members affectionately refer to him as Kaka.
- For many years, Baghel has been organising mass marriage ceremonies to promote marriages with minimum expenditure.
- He passionately follows his hobby of reading books, writing, and listening to music.
- Since 1993, Bhupesh Baghel has been a patron of the Manva Kurmi Chhatriya Samaj.
- In 2021, when Bhupesh Baghel was serving as the CM, his father, Nand Kumar Baghel, landed in a controversy when he called the people belonging to the Brahmin community foreigners. Later, an FIR was lodged against him following which he was taken into custody. When Bhupesh was asked about his father’s controversy, he said that Nand Kumar would face the inquiry like a common man does, without receiving any assistance from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). He talked about it, in an interview, and said,
Nobody is above the law in my government, even if he is the Chief Minister’s 86-year-old father. As Chief Minister, I have the responsibility to maintain harmony among different communities. If he made a remark against a community, I am sorry. Legal action will be taken.”
Bhupesh Baghel’s father being taken into custody for his anti-Brahmin remarks
- According to sources, Bhupesh and Nand Kumar didn’t share a cordial relationship. The sources also claimed that the reason behind it was Nand Kumar’s habit of giving controversial statements.
- His wife, Mukteshwari Baghel, is the niece of spiritual leader Swami Atmanand.
A photo of Swami Atmanand
- In an interview, Bhupesh Baghel revealed that he got involved in agricultural work in his family’s land after passing class 5.
- In his 2018 election manifesto, Bhupesh said that he would ban the sale of alcohol in the state; however, he did not ban it once he became the Chief Minister. In an interview, when he was asked why he did not keep his promise to ban liquor, Bhupesh said that he could not “muster courage” after he saw people die because of consuming locally made harmful liquor and abusing other substances as they were not getting liquor from the government approved shops due to a lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said.
I did not have courage then to order a liquor ban after witnessing people dying due to the consumption of spurious alcohol and other substances during the lockdown. I don’t want to implement anything that will cost lives.”
- In 2019, he mailed a mirror to Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, and asked him to look at it to see his “real face.”
- In 2020, author Pratik Umresh published a book titled Common Man Bhupesh Baghel, which was based on Bhupesh’s life.
Cover of the book Common Man Bhupesh Baghel
- Under his chief ministership, in 2021, the Chhattisgarh government received a national award for being the “Cleanest State” in the country.
Bhupesh Baghel receiving the national award for Cleanest State from the President Ram Nath Kovind
- According to his 2023 Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha Assembly elections affidavit, Bhupesh owns a tractor. In the same affidavit, he disclosed that his wife, Mukteshwari Baghel, had more wealth than him.
- In an interview, Bhupesh Baghel revealed that his father never voted for him in the elections as he was a member of the Samajwadi Party and Bhupesh belonged to the Indian National Congress.
- Bhupesh Baghel revealed, in an interview, that he used to consume alcohol; however, he quit it later.
- In December 2023, a photo of Bhupesh went viral on the internet in which he was seen playing Candy Crush on his mobile phone while attending a party meeting in Chhattisgarh for which he was made fun of. He later sidelined the jokes on him and jokingly said that Candy Crush was his favourite mobile game. He talked about it, in an interview, and said,
Yes, I do love to play Candy Crush. It is my favourite game and I have crossed a considerable number of levels, and I will go on. As for the rest, Chhattisgarh knows whom to bless.”
A photo of Bhupesh Baghel taken when he was playing Candy Crush on his phone
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education