Junagadh: Gujarat BJP chief Jitubhai Vaghani has suspended party Councillor in Junagadh Municipal Corporation(JMC) Chandrikaben Rakshia( elected from ward number 10) in connection with an audio tape in which she briefs a contractor regarding alleged corruption in JMC.

An audio tape was in circulation in media recently in which Chandrikaben told Dharmesh Parmar that ruling BJP people had started taking commission in fix percentages from the cheques issued by Junagadh Municipal Corporation(JMC) for various public works.

In said telephone conversion Chandrikaben told contractor Dharmesh Parmar that Girish Kotecha(Deputy Mayor) had started collecting commission in percentage recently after conveying it to Amit sir. Accordingly Girish Kotecha, Nilesh Sharma, city unit BJP president Shashikant Bhimani and Adhya(Mayor Adhyaskahti Majmudar) each would receive 1% commission from whatever cheques are issued by JMC(for public works to contractors). Chandrikaben was also heard saying that Rs 65,000 Apple mobile had been purchased through Corporation’s Bharat Murabia. She said Nilesh Dhuleshia(standing committee chairman of JMC) has also purchased a new mobile phone. She said commission in fixed percentage was being collected by Punit Sharma(leader of ruling party in JMC).The commission was fixed by Girishbhai(Kotecha). She said Girish Kotecha spoke to municipal commissioner and told that commission had to be there.. She also told Parmar that these people order orange juice using public fund in the meetings.

Chandrikaben has been suspended from the party and asked by state party president Jitubhai Vaghani to give clarification in next 7-day period. If she fails to give satisfactory clarification, she would be dismissed from party.

It should be mentioned that when present Mayor Adhyashakti Majmudar was selected for the post of Mayor, Chandrikaben who was self-styled contender for the post was so disappointed that she had started crying in presence of media and others in town hall.

City BJP president Shashikant Bhimani reacting to an audio tape had told media persons, ‘two persons discuss the thing without any basis in this audio tape. This is a big political party and if someone is unhappy he/she could say anything, there’s nothing much to discuss about in this issue.’

Opposition Congress meanwhile had recently asked municipal commissioner to disqualify those who are into ‘collection of commission’.

‘Rs 38 crore worth tenders are processed but work is not starting on the ground because contractors are not ready to pay commission’, local Congress leader said.

Congress leaders said they were in process to set up a tent at the gate of JMC and going to relay said audio on speaker. If needed we are going to hire a rickshaw with speaker so that people can hear the audio.

DeshGujarat