BJP’s internal squabble intensified on Tuesday, with row erupting over the Unjha APMC elections. With 36 candidates vying for 14 seats, the chaos unfolded like a family feud. The counting of votes began at 9am on Tuesday. Out of 10 BJP-backed candidates, five had to face humiliating defeats. The panel backed by BJP MLA Kirit Patel was wiped out, while the candidates supported by former chairman Dinesh Patel emerged victorious. To complete this picture of the party in complete disarray, Naran Lallu’s grandson, Supreet Patel, also bit the electoral dust.
Rajkot leader caught in birth cert tampering
BJP’s ongoing organisation festival in Rajkot’s Ward No. 14 has turned into a comedy show. Vipul Makhela, Baksi Panch Morcha city president, has been caught tampering his birth certificate and Aadhaar card. He has reduced his age by six years to contest as the ward president. However, an alert party insider has blown the whistle, leading Rajkot BJP election in-charge Mayaben Kodnani to demand proof from Makhela. Now, the party gears up to reward his creativity with suspension order as the fiasco has escalated to the state level.
Controversy over AMC’s ‘study tour’ to Kashmir
While the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) grapples with debt and shortage of funds, its cooperators and officials seem more focused on scenic mountains of Kashmir. On December 18, at least 225 people — 192 corporators and men from BJP and Congress — will head to Kashmir for a “study tour.” A disgruntled BJP worker has penned a letter questioning the point of the “educational excursion”. The civic body is all set to splurge around Rs 2 crore on the trip. For perspective, cost of Kashmir tour hovers around Rs 50,000 per person, but the AMC seems happy to shell out Rs 88,000 per head.
Dilip Singh Kshatriya
Our correspondent in Gujarat
dilipsingh@newindianexpress.com