AHMEDABAD: In an unusual move that underscores the widening cracks within the Gujarat BJP, Ahmedabad East MP Hasmukh Patel has written a formal letter to Vatwa MLA Babusinh Jadav, demanding action over corruption allegations against a sarpanch and her husband in Dhamtwan village, Ahmedabad district.
The letter, now viral, marks a fresh instance of party infighting surfacing through formal correspondence rather than internal dialogue.
The villagers of Dhamtwan in Daskroi taluka had earlier raised serious allegations of a multi-crore scam involving the local sarpanch, Rekhaben Sanjaybhai Parekh, and her husband.
They claim the couple engaged in large-scale bribery in granting construction permits for industrial sheds and misused panchayat funds.
The husband, despite holding no official designation, allegedly runs the panchayat's affairs from the shadows, issuing leave letters and overseeing financial operations with impunity.
Frustrated by inaction, villagers initially approached MLA Jadav, but after receiving no response, escalated the matter to MP Hasmukh Patel with a formal written complaint.
Patel responded by forwarding the complaint to Jadav, stating, “I received a complaint and forwarded it to the local MLA. There are seven assembly constituencies in my area, and I am not aware of all the assemblies in detail. I have sent a letter along with a copy of the complaint, asking them to look into the matter and take appropriate action.”
The controversy has once again spotlighted growing internal discontent within the BJP. While the party is known for its emphasis on discipline, the increasing reliance on letters rather than intra-party coordination points to a deepening lack of trust among leaders.
The villagers also allege a dynastic monopoly over the sarpanch seat. Sanjay Chandulal Parekh served from 2001 to 2006, followed by his mother, Shantaben Chandulal Parekh, from 2007 to 2011.
Sanjay returned to office from 2017 to 2021, and since 2021, his wife, Rekhaben, has held the position. Out of the past 25 years, the Parekh family has controlled the sarpanch seat for 19 years.