AmrelI: IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani who has openly challenged the State party chief CR Patil and his decisions in recent remarks, on Sunday displayed his strength by organizing his felicitation function at his native place Amreli.The “felicitation function” was held over Sanghani’s election as IFFCO Chairman and his 70th birthday.

However none from the State government or State BJP organization attended this function. Five BJP MLAs of Amreli district namely Kaushik Vekariya, Mahesh Kaswala, JV Kakadiya, Janak Talaviya and Hira Solanki also stayed away from this function, apparently over Sanghani’s recent remarks against State party Chief, his mandate and his decisions.

However those BJP leaders who are considered ‘sidelined’ or ‘dropped’ in recent years or who have sparked off controversy due to their actions or remarks, choose to join the function. Among those who attended this function were union minister Parshottam Rupala, Jetpur MLA Jayedh Radadiya, former State BJP chief RC Faldu, former Dy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Amreli Lok Sabha MP Naran Kachhadiya. While Rupala is the one who was brought to politics by Sanghani, Jayesh Radadiya is the one whom Sanghani brought to IFFCO Board of Directors recently against the State BJP chief’s mandate. RC Faldu is former Minister and former State BJP Chief who was denied an assembly ticket in 2022, as is Nitin Patel who is former Dy CM. Naran Kachhadiya was dropped as party candidate for Amreli Lok Sabha seat this year.

While Gujarat BJP chief had issued mandate to Ahmedabad based Bipil Gota for the election of Director of IFFCO, Sanghani backed Jayesh Radadiya for the post and got him elected. When asked by media persons later, Sanghani criticized the State BJP and its chief for bringing in Congress leaders to BJP and giving them tickets and portfolios. Sanghani in Rajkot also said he would meet the Chief Minister over party’s mandate system in cooperative sector introduced by State BJP chief Patil. Sanghani also described Jayesh Radadiya’s election in IFFCO as victory of democracy.

As Sanghani chose to take the line against the State BJP chief, some BJP leaders have suddenly found him more attractive. One of sidelined leaders Saurabh Patel a former minister who was denied a ticket in 2022 assembly polls posted a picture congratulating Sanghani over his IFFCO Chairmanship election victory.