A cooperative body election that saw a close aide of Union Home Minister Amit Shah being bested by a BJP MLA who went rogue has brought a few of the simmering concerns in the ruling party to the fore.
It all began with BJP leader Bipin Patel (Gota), close aide of Shah, losing the fight for the post of the Director of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) to BJP MLA Jayesh Radadiya.
Subsequently, Naranbhai Kachhadia, a BJP leader and three-time MP from Amerli, raised concerns about the party's candidate selection process and the welcoming of Congress and AAP members into the BJP.
Bipin Patel, also known as Bipin Gota, is the coordinator of the party’s cooperative cell and vice –chairman of Gujarat State Cooperative Marketing Fedration Limited (Gujcomasol). Radadiya, a former minister, was a member of IFFCO's outgoing board of directors and is also chairman of Rajkot District Cooperative (RDC) Bank.
Despite state BJP chief CR Patil too endorsing Gota as the party's candidate, Radadiya defied the party and secured a second term in IFFCO.
Notably, Home Minister Amit Shah had visted Radadiya's residence and shared a meal with him. Yet, Radadiya refused to be placated and remained steadfast in his decision to fight Bipin Gota.
Radadiya's victory in the IFFCO election was ensured by the backing of influential figures such as the body's Chairman Dileepbhai Sanghani, a former MP and MLA. Additionally, Radadiya garnered support from the farming community in Saurashtra, a significant agricultural region in Gujarat.
Radadiya won 113 votes, a significant number compared to Gota's 67 votes.
Charges and countercharges
In the aftermath of this unexpected outcome, BJP state president CR Patil expressed concerns over the prevalent practice of his party members reaching an understanding with other party leaders, known as "Ilu Ilu" (I love you).
"Most elections were won in accordance with the BJP mandate. Some individuals engaged in 'Ilu Ilu' under the guise of cooperative elections," he charged.
In response, Dileepbhai Sanghani questioned the validity of such criticism, citing instances of the party rapidly embracing Congress leaders and awarding them tickets.
"Cooperative leaders have secured victory through democratic means. I would like to question those who perceive this result as an instance of 'Ilu Ilu'. When individuals switch from Congress to our party within a day and receive tickets, it disheartens the workers. Whether it's termed 'Ilu Ilu' or if BJP wins, it's seen as the same," Sanghani said.
He went on to underline that Radadiya had submitted his nomination first.
"Three days after Jayesh bhai submitted his form, Bipin Patel received the go-ahead from the party. Jayesh bhai wasn't even aware of this. Before naming another candidate, Jayesh bhai should have been consulted. This seems like an attempt meant solely to discredit Jayesh bhai in the media," Sanghani remarked.
The sparring between the two sides continued.
In a video message released on Friday, Bipin Patel went after Dileepbhai Sanghani, stating, "The BJP had fielded Dileep Sanghani as a candidate in the assembly elections in 2017, and I would have been happier if he had emerged victorious then."
Sanghani, incidentally, was re-elected as IFFCO chairman on Friday.
Naranbhai Kachhadia, the three-time MP from Amerli, challenged party leaders backing Sanghani's assertion, stating, "It requires a decade to nurture workers. Individuals from Congress and AAP swiftly secure positions after joining in the morning. While it's fine to bring workers from other parties, it shouldn't be done at the cost of neglecting BJP workers."
Expressing concerns about the way in which candidates are being selected, Naranbhai Kachhadia remarked, "Through their candidate choices, they've let down over 17 lakh voters. Amreli had numerous qualified candidates, yet tickets were distributed to those merely capable of speaking Gujarati."
