Vadodara: Three BJP MLAs from central Gujarat, upset with government officials held a meeting and decided to make representation before the party president Amit Shah in Delhi over this issue, said BJP MLA Madhu Shrivastav who represents Waghodia assembly seat in Vadodara district.

Shrivastav said, ‘We three BJP MLAs – Yogesh Patel, Ketan Inamdar and Madhu Shrivastav have met. we are not against party but against the officials. Out of 99 BJP MLAs, those are not ministers are not heard by government officers. All major officials are not listening to elected representatives of people over the issues of development. We have given promises to people for certain works but officials are not listening to us. Lok Sabha election is scheduled to take place next year. There are many more MLAs who are upset and people will see it in coming days.’

Shirvastava said, ‘we are going to make representation in Delhi.’

It should be mentioned here that when Vijay Rupani cabinet sworn in, no MLA from Vadodara city was inducted. Upset with this, all BJP MLAs had boycotted President Ram Nath Kovind’s function in MS University. Madhu Shiravastava and Yogesh Patel, two BJP MLAs were upset as they thought they should be made minister due to their seniority. Ketan Inamdar, a BJP man who had year 2012 assembly election as independent but later joined BJP was also hoping reward from party. The party later made Vadodara MLA Rajendra Trivedi a Speaker of Gujarat Assembly. But it seems, some other MLAs are still upset.

As BJP government has just 7 additional MLAs above half mark, the party leadership is taking each such development very seriously. Senior minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama has been assigned job to give ear to three MLAs. Shrivastav and others however are hoping for a meeting with party chief Amit Shah in Delhi.

MLA Ketan Inamdar said, ‘after deep thinking and deliberation we have decided to come out and meet the leadership in Delhi over the issue of government officers who are not working for people. The ministers such as Pradipsinh bapu and others listen to us and work, but there are secretary level officers who don’t work. They take our repeated representation lightly. We are elected representatives. We live among people. We must not be taken lightly. We want officials to work and government to attract admiration from people.’

Shrivastav said the officers who don’t work should be sidelines and replaced with the officials who work for people. He said he is upset because this is BJP government and not the government of officers.

Expansion and change in portfolios in Rupani cabinet is pending. Soon after formation of cabinet, minister of state and Koli community leader Parshottam Solanki had made his wish public to get better portfolio through which he could serve his community and people at large. Solanki had later met the Chief Minister and told media persons that he was promised for better portfolio in one and half month or so. Out of three MLAs who met in Central Gujarat, Madhu Shrivastav and Ketan Inamdar believe they can get elected without party symbol and they have done that in the past. Yogesh Patel believes this is possibly his last term due to old-age, and considering his seniority and the fact that there’s none from Vadodara in ministry, he should be given chance.

Political observers in Vadodara believe, the party will be able to address the issues raised by Yogesh Patel and Ketan Inamdar, but Madhu Shrivastav is going to be a difficult task not just for now but for the entire five-year term of Rupani govt. However they add that Shrivastav can be pacified with some post in board/corporation. Prior to Rupani cabinet’s formation, Shrivastav had told media persons,’My supporters wish me to become a minister or chairman of some board/corporation.’

Update: In response to State spokesperson Bharat Pandya’s reaction that party MLAs should put up the things within party forum, MLA Yogesh Patel said he had put up the matter within party forum long time back, but there was no response. Pandya who is on visit to Savli may hear grievances of MLAs. Pandya had been in charge of Central Gujarat area for BJP in the past. Pandya said state party chief Vaghani, ministers Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Pradipsinh Jadeja had spoken to three MLAs. In another development, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel in reply to media said MLAs would be heard and solution will be brought to their complain. Officials need to be responsible toward complains received from MLAs.

DeshGujarat