AHMEDABAD: The internal discord within Gujarat's BJP has intensified after the party's Jetpur MLA Jayesh Radadiya secured a victory over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s close aide Bipin Patel alias Bipin Gota in the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) elections.
This was followed by the resurgence of old corruption allegations against former BJP MP and chairman of IFFCO and Gujarat State Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited (Gujcomasol) Dilip Sanghani on social media on Tuesday. Radadiya had attributed his success in the IFFCO elections to Sanghani.
The document dated 10/05/23, addressed to Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, alleged that Sanghani had made decisions favouring his relatives. The letter further claimed that decisions within Gujcomasol were made without reporting to the vice chairman Bipin Patel and that the corresponding files didn't reach him. Alongside these accusations, ten other allegations were raised.
Sanghani asserted that the accusations were unfounded. Responding to the allegation of withholding files from Patel, Sanghani said, "The vice chairman sits on Gujcomasol's board and has not raised any concerns thus far. Nonetheless, I prefer not to escalate this dispute further. Our officials can verify that despite his reluctance, we have consistently sought his input or signature on relevant documents," he said.
"It's noteworthy that this vice-chairman recently lost the IFFCO directorship election. I refrain from delving deeper into who played a role in drafting this letter," Sanghani added.
Before the emergence of the letter, a subtle display of influence involving BJP's Patidar leaders unfolded during Sanghani's birthday celebration on Sunday.
Esteemed figures such as Patidar leader and former Gujarat BJP president RC Faldu, North Gujarat Patidar leader and former deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, Rajkot Lok Sabha BJP candidate Purushottam Rupala, along with Jayesh Radadiya, who secured the directorship in IFFCO, and three-term MP from Amerli, Narayan Kachdia, graced the occasion.
Following the defeat of BJP-endorsed candidate Bipin Patel in the IFFCO elections, local leaders interpreted the gathering as a demonstration of collective strength aimed at the BJP state president.
The IFFCO elections unfolded as a manifestation of internal rivalries within the BJP. Radadiya secured a decisive win with 113 out of 180 votes.
During an IFFCO board meeting on May 10, all 21 directors unanimously supported and endorsed Sanghani as chairman and Balwinder Singh as the vice chairman.