Bhupesh Baghel Age, Wiki and Bio

Bhupesh Baghel

Quick Info

ProfessionPolitician
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth23/08/1961
Age63 years
BirthplaceDurg, Madhya Pradesh, India (Now in Chhattisgarh)
HometownDurg, Chhattisgarh
SchoolHigher Secondary School Marar Patan, Durg (1978)
College/UniversityScience College, affiliated with Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur; Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur
Educational Qualification(s)
Degree 1BSc from Science College (1983)
Degree 2Post-graduate degree in science from Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University (1986)
ReligionHinduism
CasteKurmi Kshatriya (OBC)
AddressMansarovar Awasiya Parisar, Bhilai-3, P.O. Bhilai-3, Tahsil Bhilai-3, District- Durg, Chhattisgarh, India
HobbiesReading, Writing, Listening to Music

Bio/Wiki

Full nameBhupesh Kumar Baghel
NicknameKaka

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 9" (175 cm)
Eye ColorDark Brown
Hair ColorSalt and Pepper

Personal Life

Zodiac signVirgo
Marriage Date03/02/1982
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, Chhattisgarh Police arrested journalist Vinod Verma based on a complaint filed by the then PWD Minister Rajesh Munat.
  • Munat alleged that Verma demanded money, threatening to distribute a purportedly "fake" sex tape involving him to rival politicians.
  • Law enforcement claimed to have recovered 500 copies of the tape.
  • Verma, during questioning, disclosed the names of influential businessmen and Bhupesh Baghel.
  • Later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case, leading to Baghel's arrest.
  • Bhupesh claimed his innocence, stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party implicated him in the case, and went on a protest against the government.
  • In October 2019, the Supreme Court intervened by putting a halt to the trial against Bhupesh.
Rice Mill Fraud
  • In 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that the Chhattisgarh government inflated payments to custom paddy millers leading to kickbacks amounting to Rs. 175 crore.
  • Bhupesh refuted the ED's accusations, criticizing the agency for allegedly aligning its actions with the BJP.
The Liquor Fraud
  • Anwar Dhebar, brother of Raipur Mayor Aijaz Dhebar, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged involvement in a liquor scam in Chhattisgarh in 2019.
  • The BJP claimed that Bhupesh Baghel was well aware of the scam and received commissions from it.
  • Bhupesh claimed his innocence and stated that the BJP aimed to damage his reputation before the 2023 Assembly elections.
Involvement in The Mahadev App Case
  • In November 2023, Bhupesh Baghel was linked to the Mahadev betting app case.
  • The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that the app's promoters paid bribes of Rs. 508 crores to Baghel.
  • Sources reported that Shubham Soni, a key figure in the case, confessed in a video that he paid Rs. 508 crores to Baghel.
  • Soni mentioned that Baghel had encouraged him to establish his gambling business in Dubai.
  • Baghel denied any connection with Soni and accused the ED of attempting to tarnish his reputation with baseless accusations.

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried

Family

FatherNand Kumar Baghel (passed away on 8 January 2024; farmer, politician)
MotherBindeshwari Baghel
SiblingsTwo sisters, one of whom lives abroad.
SpouseMukteshwari Baghel
Children
SonChaitanya Baghel (doctor, owns a real estate business)
Daughters
  • Dipti Baghel (assistant professor)
  • Smita Baghel
  • Divya Chandrakar
Other Relatives
Father-in-lawDr Narendra Dev Verma (famous writer)
NephewVijay Baghel (BJP politician, member of the Lok Sabha)

Career

Political PartyIndian National Congress (INC)
Political Journey
  • Joined Indian Youth Congress (IYC) (1985)
  • Became the President of District Youth Congress in Durg (1990-1994)
  • Elected to Madhya Pradesh Assembly from Patan constituency (1993)
  • Became a member of the All India Congress Committee
  • Served as General Secretary and Program Coordinator in the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee
  • Became Vice-President of Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress (1994-1995)
  • Re-elected to Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Patan (1998)
  • Appointed Minister of the Public Grievance Department (1998)
  • Became Minister of Transport (1999)
  • Member of the Estimates Committee of the Aviation Department
  • Member of the Consultative Committee of the Aviation Department
  • Appointed chairman of Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (January 2000)
  • Became the first Minister for Revenue, Public Health Engineering, and relief (2000-2003)
  • Became a member of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly from the Patan constituency (2003)
  • Appointed as the deputy leader of opposition (2003-2008)
  • Contested and lost the Parliamentary Election from the Durg Lok Sabha constituency (2004)
  • Contested and lost the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha elections from the Patan constituency (2008)
  • Contested and lost the Parliamentary Election from the Raipur Lok Sabha seat (2009)
  • Contested and won the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha elections from the Patan constituency (2013)
  • Became President of Indian National Congress in Chhattisgarh (December 2014 - December 2019)
  • Contested and won the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha elections from the Patan constituency (2018)
  • Appointed as the 3rd Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh (2018-2023)
  • Held the charge of the departments of Finance, Mining, General Administration, Public Relations, and Electronics and Information Technology as CM
  • Elected to Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly from Patan constituency (2023)
  • Became Chairman of the State Planning Commission of Chhattisgarh
  • Lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Rajnandgaon constituency to BJPs Santosh Pandey by 44,411 votes
Notable Schemes As CM
  • Narva, Garva, Ghurva, Bari: The initiative sought to boost water conservation, safeguard livestock, promote the utilization of organic compost from household waste, and engage in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in home gardens for both personal use and earning extra income.
  • Mukhymantri Haat Bazar Clinic Yojana: Implemented in 2019 to provide medical care to the poor, especially in tribal areas, by deploying vans with trained medical personnel in market areas. The World Health Organisation (WHO) produced a documentary on it.
  • Chief Minister Dai-Didi Clinic Scheme: Focused on providing Medicare to women in the state through all-female mobile medical units. The scheme's success inspired adoption in neighboring states.
  • Malaria Mukt Bastar Scheme: Initiated in 2020 to perform Malaria tests and offer free treatment in the Bastar region. The region achieved the lowest API ranking within a year.
  • Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana (RGKNY): Launched in May 2020, allocated around Rs. 5700 crore for distribution among farmers to incentivize crop production and reduce reliance on imports. The scheme inspired others like Godhan Nyay Yojana and RGGBKMNY.
  • Godhan Nyay Yojana: Launched in July 2020 to motivate organic farming. The government purchased cow dung and cow urine for vermicompost and fertilizer production. This scheme reduced Naxalite recruitment by generating employment.
  • Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan: Implemented in October 2020 to eradicate malnutrition and anemia, especially among women and children, with integrated diet and ration plans.
  • Padhai Tuhar Dwar Scheme: Drafted during the COVID-19 lockdown in India to provide study materials and setup Mohalla Classes with loudspeakers and NGO partnerships.
  • Swami Atmanand English Medium School Scheme: Implemented in November 2020 to provide quality education through 52 newly established schools for kids from BPL families.
  • The Ram Van Gaman Path Project: Chhattisgarh government allocated Rs. 137.45 crore for a national project tracing the route believed to have been taken by Lord Rama in the Ramayana.
  • Mukhyamantri Shahri Slum Swasthya Yojana: Launched in November 2020 to provide free medical care to slum dwellers through 120 mobile medical vans.
  • Mahtari Dular Yojana: Implemented in May 2021 to provide financial aid and educational support to children who lost parents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Mor Zameen-Mor Makaan Yojana: Combined the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) with 19 schemes to offer modular homes, earning a national award.
Awards & Honours
  • Mahatma Phule Samta Award from the All India Mahatma Phule Samta Parisha (2021)
  • Honourary doctorate from Sorbonne University (2023)
  • Honourary doctorate from Hemchand Yadav Vishwavidyalaya (Durg University) (2023)

Favourites

Sportsperson
  • Sunil Gavaskar
  • Gundappa Viswanath
ActorAmitabh Bachchan
Film
  • Abhimaan (1973)
  • Chupke Chupke (1975)
PoliticianJayaprakash Narayan
Mobile GameCandy Crush

Style Quotient

Car CollectionMahindra Alturas G4
Salary/Income
Salary as an MLARs. 1,60,000 + other allowances (as of January 2024)
IncomeRs. 29,67,109 (in the financial year 2022-2023)
Assets/Properties
Movable Assets
CashRs. 8,36,325
Deposits in Banks, Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Financial CompaniesRs. 56,03,921
Bonds, Debentures, and Shares in companiesRs. 2,000
LIC or other insurance PoliciesRs. 31,056
Motor VehiclesRs. 38,20,286
JewelleryRs. 5,85,000
Immovable Assets
Agricultural LandRs. 19,26,32,206
Residential BuildingsRs. 93,07,038
Net WorthRs. 21,12,16,627 (estimated for 2023, excluding wife's net worth)

Some Lesser Known Facts

He began managing his family’s farmland after completing fifth grade.
During college, he joined the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and developed an interest in politics.
After graduating from Science College in Durg, he worked on his family farm.
In 1993, he was appointed as the patron of the Manva Kurmi Chhatriya Society of Chhattisgarh.
He organized mass marriage ceremonies to advocate for marriages with minimal expenses.
He held various positions in Madhya Pradesh, including member of the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation and director of the Housing Board.
He served as the first Minister of Revenue, Public Health Engineering, and Relief Work in Chhattisgarh.
In the 2008 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections, he lost to Vijay Baghel (BJP) by 7,842 votes.
He played a crucial role in boosting the morale of INC workers in Chhattisgarh as the party president.
After becoming Chief Minister in 2018, he ordered the cancellation of loans for over 2 million farmers.
He issued an order to create 15,000 vacancies for permanent teachers in the state.
He worked on reclaiming land for Adivasis that had been taken by multinational corporations.
Despite pledging a liquor ban in 2018, he didn't implement it due to negative effects observed during the COVID-19 lockdown.
In 2019, he sent a mirror to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, encouraging introspection on his "true self."
His biography 'Common Man Bhupesh Baghel' was released in 2020.
He handled his father's arrest objectively in 2021 without any interference from his position.
He had a strained relationship with his father due to controversial public statements.
In 2022, he launched the Chhattisgarhi Olympics to promote local and traditional sports.
An affidavit in 2023 revealed that his wife has a higher net worth than him.
A photo of him playing Candy Crush during an INC meeting went viral, showcasing his love for the game.
He admitted to consuming alcohol but later quit.
His father, a member of the Samajwadi Party, never backed his INC career.

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