Arjun Modhwadia, once a Congress strategist and close aide of Ahmed Patel and now a BJP MLA from Porbandar, targeted Rahul Gandhi in the Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday. Modhwadia accused Rahul of insulting India abroad and Congressmen at home, claiming he sees Gujarat Congress leaders as either racehorses or wedding horses but has failed to recognise the difference between a horse and a rider even after years in politics. He went further, saying Rahul doesn’t understand Gujarat politics and that Congress is now unfit to be an opposition party.
Junagadh MP in BJP state president race?
The BJP’s search for a new state president has been dragging on, with names surfacing and fading in quick succession. Now, Junagadh MP Rajesh Chudasama has entered the fray. The buzz? BJP is keen on an OBC leader to take the reins. Young and politically seasoned, Chudasama has a one-term MLA and three-term MP track record. His credentials don’t stop there—he recently defeated Congress MLA Vimal Chudasama in Junagadh’s municipal elections. His OBC background and Saurashtra roots, a BJP stronghold, further strengthen his case. With party insiders rallying behind him, will Chudasama emerge as BJP’s next state chief?
MLAs high on wealth but low on degrees
Gujarat’s 180 MLAs collectively hold Rs 3,009 crore in assets, yet 55% are not even graduates, according to an ADR report. A staggering 98 MLAs have studied only up to Class 5 or 12, or hold diplomas. Nationally, 35% of MLAs lack a graduation degree, while 24% have postgraduate or higher qualifications. Women remain underrepresented—only 10% of India’s MLAs are women, with Gujarat contributing only 14 female legislators. Adding to the mix, 21% of Gujarat’s MLAs—37 in all —have criminal cases against them. On the wealth front, Mansa MLA Jayanti Patel leads the pack with Rs 661 crore in assets.
Dilip Singh Kshatriya
Our correspondent in Gujarat
dilipsingh@newindianexpress.com