ગુજરાતી
English
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, April 12, 2026
As the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections approach, it is worth examining the developmental work undertaken by the incumbent BJP corporators, as well as the nature of the opposition they have had to face over the past five years.
Jagdish Panchal, the MLA from Nikol, serves as the BJP State President; notably, the most intense opposition is being witnessed within his very own constituency. When the public drove the MLA and corporators out of the area, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attempted to quell the dissent by holding a public meeting; however, despite this effort, the party continues to face resistance.
In Ahmedabad, owing to opposition from both the public and party leaders, discussions were held regarding the decision not to renominate 70 percent of the incumbent BJP corporators. In the 12 wards where public opposition was most pronounced, the party was compelled to make the decision to replace the entire panel of candidates.
In Ahmedabad, due to protests from the public and party leaders, discussions were held regarding the decision not to renominate 70 percent of the BJP’s corporators. In the 12 wards where public opposition was most intense, the party was compelled to make the decision to replace the entire panel of candidates.
**Dissent within the Party**
The BJP had appointed 40 ward presidents out of a total of 48 wards. In more than 10 wards—including areas such as Bapunagar, Naroda, Saraspur, Rakhial, Kubernagar, Chandkheda, Sabarmati, Vejalpur, Dariapur, Sarkhej, and others—party workers staged protests regarding the names of the appointed ward presidents.
In the case of Ram Pyare, discrepancies were found between the dates of birth listed on his birth certificate and his school leaving certificate.
In the city’s Chandkheda ward, there has also been significant resentment regarding Ketan Desai.
Out of the city’s 48 wards, the situation escalated into a “damage control” scenario for the BJP in 11 of them.
**The “Fake Hindu”**
Nirav Jagdish Kavi, the BJP corporator for the Navrangpura ward, posed as a “fake Hindu,” fabricating documents such as a birth certificate, Aadhaar card, voter ID card, and PAN card to substantiate his false identity. He subsequently contested the election and became a corporator.
In reality, he is a Muslim named Raj Kavi Mir. In this matter, the Ahmedabad Sessions Court has ordered that a complaint be registered and legal action be initiated against BJP corporator Nirav Kavi.
**Bodakdev**
In Bodakdev, when former corporator Vasanti Patel went to seek votes as part of the BJP’s campaign, local residents drove her away from their homes, demanding to know where she had been for the past five years.
**Allegations Against Vasanti Patel**
Corporator Vasanti Patel, a resident of Amrapali Flats in the Bodakdev area, stands accused of failing to pay maintenance dues since 2012. Did she “defraud” the housing society of ₹2.5 lakh? Her neighbors have leveled serious allegations against her.
She failed to make the payments. Consequently, the society committee has taken disciplinary action against Vasanti Patel and has disconnected the water supply to her residence. The society committee had also previously issued a formal notice regarding this matter. Vasanti-ben has outstanding tax dues of approximately ₹2.45 lakh owed to the society. Vasanti-ben Patel had vacated her flat and moved to a different location.
**Uproar in the Mayor’s Ward**
In Thakkarbapanagar—the ward represented by Ahmedabad Mayor Kirit Parmar and BJP MLA Kanchan Radadiya—residents created an uproar while protesting against a female BJP corporator’s move to open up a road. Despite a Public Grievance Redressal Program being held right within Mayor Kirit Parmar’s own ward, the corporator in question remained absent. The TP 65 road remains unopened; it is currently encroached upon, and the obstructions have not been cleared.
**MLA Voices Protest**
Internal conflicts within the party ran deep. MP Dinesh Makwana expressed his anger against the BJP corporators.
Ahmedabad’s corporators were conspicuous by their absence at a program organized to welcome the new State President. Out of 20 corporators, 10 are consistently absent. This demonstrates a clear lack of diligence. The MP was compelled to remark:
“I should not have to resort to using threatening language.”
**Khokhra – Kamlesh Patel**
A woman from Amraiwadi filed a police complaint against Kamlesh Patel, the corporator for Khokhra, alleging misconduct.
The complaint alleged that Kamlesh Patel had physically assaulted her.
A formal complaint was lodged at the Amraiwadi Police Station, stating that he had assaulted her and intimidated her by engaging in obscene behavior directed at her husband.
**Nikol**
In Nikol, Ahmedabad, residents staged a protest against a BJP builder—who also serves as the MLA for the Daskroi Assembly constituency, Babu Jamnadas Patel—along with four corporators (Baldev Patel, Deepak Panchal, Usha Rohit, and Vilas Desai) and various party office-bearers. The residents alleged that work on basic civic amenities was not being carried out.
Baldev Patel, the corporator for Nikol, appeared visibly agitated.
The corporators were reportedly not answering their phones.
Residents raised questions regarding a host of issues, including road conditions, problems with the sewage pumping system, the lack of access to clean drinking water, and waterlogging during the monsoon season. **Protest Against MLA**
Residents staged a protest against Darshanaben Vaghela—the BJP MLA for the Asarwa Assembly constituency—as well as the councilors of the Shahibaug ward and party office-bearers. They protested against the lack of basic amenities, pointing out that no work is being undertaken regarding roads, water supply, or sewage systems.
**Naroda**
A police complaint has been filed against Vipul alias Sombhai Patel, the BJP councilor for the Naroda ward, on charges of misbehaving with a female doctor at the Naroda Urban Health Center. BJP leader Bhaskar Bhatt has sought an explanation from Councilor Vipul Patel regarding the incident.
**Chiloda**
In Nanachiloda—an area recently incorporated into the Sardarnagar ward—residents staged a protest against poor road conditions, as well as issues concerning sewage and water supply.
They protested while holding placards bearing slogans such as “The Lotus [BJP symbol] was our mistake,” “The Indian Liar Party,” and “Roads are broken while the leader sleeps.”
Over the past five years, no work related to basic infrastructure has been carried out in the Nanachiloda area. They expressed their outrage by displaying posters featuring photographs of the four BJP councilors of the Sardarnagar ward, Alpesh Thakor (MLA for Gandhinagar South), and former Lok Sabha MP Hasmukh Patel, declaring that these elected representatives have “gone missing.”
**Nikol**
In the Nikol area, near Shivaji Chowk, fenugreek leaves (*methi*) were thrown at Councilor Baldevbhai Patel. When he stepped out of his car, a crowd of residents surrounded him and subsequently beat him publicly on the street. The crowd then physically removed him from the scene. The councilor had gone there to pacify the residents following the approval of a Town Planning (TP) scheme. Following the scuffle, the councilor—who complained of dizziness—was admitted to Kothiya Hospital. The incident sparked an uproar as news spread that the councilor had been assaulted over issues concerning TP roads and related pressures. Following a meeting with BJP MLA Babu Patel and Nikol ward councilor Baldev Patel, officials from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation also visited the councilor at the hospital.
**Saujpur**
A protest was staged in Saujpur Bogha against former BJP councilor Vinodkumari Chaudhary. Residents surrounded the former councilor just prior to the elections. There was significant resentment among the people due to the complete lack of progress on sewage-related infrastructure work over the past five years.
“Councilors only show up during inauguration ceremonies to get their photographs taken. While claims of development are certainly made here…”
…but he is nowhere to be seen.
As the elections drew near, voters staged protests.
**Complaint Against Corporator in Ward No. 1**
**Demanding Money**
In the Vejalpur area of Ahmedabad—near the Vastrapur railway crossing—Corporator Surendra Khachar, who is redeveloping a residential complex, clashed with local residents who were demanding that the builder provide them with alternative shop spaces in exchange for their existing unauthorized shops. Three unauthorized shops are situated beneath the flat belonging to Pradeep Khachar, the brother of Surendra Khachar—the BJP Corporator representing the Sarkhej Ward. It was also alleged that the builder had demanded a payment of ₹100,000 per square meter.
In the Saijpur Bogha Ward, residents staged protests against former BJP Corporator Vinodi Kumari Chaudhary.
**Misconduct Towards a Doctor**
A complaint was lodged in Ahmedabad against Naroda Corporator Soma Patel regarding his unruly behavior. A separate complaint was also filed concerning his misconduct towards a female employee at a Urban Health Centre (UHC). The Corporator reportedly grabbed the Medical Officer’s face and forced her to drink water. He behaved inappropriately with the female doctor, an incident that has left her mentally distressed. Although she is willing to settle the matter to safeguard her career, she insists that the Corporator must tender an apology to her in court. Subsequently, the Corporator apologized to the female doctor in the High Court.
**Saijpur**
Residents staged protests against Aruna Shah, a former BJP Corporator who had represented the Thakkarbapa Nagar Ward for three consecutive terms.
A banner was displayed bearing the message: “The female Corporator who failed to eradicate crime should not come here seeking votes.”
The banner further alleged that she would simply disappear once the elections were over, and that while the Krishnanagar area had seen no development, the accumulated filth and garbage had also not been cleared.
**Saijpur Promises**
Chaos erupted in the Saijpur Bogha area following the failure to fulfill election promises. Tensions escalated—eventually spiraling into a physical altercation—between local voters (who had gone to demand that work be carried out in accordance with the promises made during the previous local body elections) and former BJP Corporator Vinodi Kumari Chaudhary. **Vaccines for the Sick**
In Ahmedabad, a BJP Corporator from Naroda faced opposition for allegedly arranging COVID-19 vaccinations for sick children in an unauthorized manner. After visiting a vaccination center, tokens for the COVID vaccine were reportedly issued to their relatives and friends.
**Chenpur**
In the Ranip Ward—which falls under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha and Sabarmati Assembly constituencies—a heated argument erupted between BJP Corporators from the ward and local residents regarding development work at Chenpur Lake. The Corporators were forced to flee the scene.
Although Chenpur has been included within the Municipal Corporation’s limits for fifteen years, no development has taken place there.
Residents also expressed anger, accusing the Corporators of visiting the site solely for the purpose of having their photographs taken.
Protests were staged against BJP Corporators Dashrathbhai Patel, Bhaviniben Panchal, and Gitaben Patel.
**Jasodanagar – Suicide**
Following protests regarding an incident of self-immolation in the Jasodanagar area, a petition has been submitted to the Mayor. The victim’s family has alleged that the local Corporator, Maulik Patel, accepted a bribe of ₹400,000. They claim that while the shopkeeper received an official notice, the Corporator was paid the sum of ₹400,000. The woman subsequently committed suicide in protest against the demolition drive in Jasodanagar.
**Insult to a Woman**
The atmosphere at a meeting grew tense for a brief period when Zainab Shaikh—the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Corporator for Makatampura—stood up to raise issues concerning her constituency. The tension arose after Gita Parmar, a BJP Corporator from Khadia, asked her to remove her *ghoonghat* (veil) before speaking.
“You wear a saree; so what am I supposed to say about that?”
A debate subsequently ensued regarding the right to choose one’s attire.
Every Indian citizen is guaranteed the fundamental right to dress according to their own preference, choose their diet, and move about freely.
**Corporators Themselves Are the Complainants**
A serious allegation has surfaced claiming that Mittal Makwana, the BJP Corporator for Sardarnagar, was facilitating the submission of applications for illegal construction projects.
In certain wards, Corporators are reportedly filing Right to Information (RTI) applications in conjunction with their spouses. **Conflict within the BJP**
Nilesh Makwana, husband of Mittal Makwana—a BJP corporator from the Sardarnagar ward—lodged a complaint regarding a lack of water supply and also raised grievances against the BJP’s Women’s Wing General Secretary. This led to an altercation.
**Paldi – Store Locked Down**
Paresh Patel, husband of Paldi corporator Chetna Patel, locked up the store facility within the Paldi ward. He took this action following a dispute with the staff of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The conflict reportedly stemmed from issues regarding road patch-up work. (Google Translation from Gujarati)
