Navsari councillors were bribed

SURAT, July 19: Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president C D Patel has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party paid huge sums to some...

SURAT, July 19: Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president C D Patel has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party paid huge sums to some Congress councillors of Navsari Nagarpalika to vote in favour of the no-confidence motion against Nagarpalika president Jafar Qadri.

Last month, the only Congress-ruled Nagarpalika in the state was toppled by the BJP, which installed its nominee with the support of 13 defectors. The development assumes significance as Navsari is the home town of the GPCC head.

Talking to Express Newsline, Patel said for the first time a Muslim had been elected president, which was not acceptable to a number of councillors. Besides, Congress district president N A Desai had taken strong objection to financial irregularities in various committees of the Nagarpalika, which irked the councillors, whose only mission was to make money, he alleged, claiming that the Congress had evolved a foolproof system in which no committee chairman could indulge in malpractice. With 13 councillors switching loyalty, the BJP was able to jolt the Congress in the civic body. The Congress now has 23 councillors.

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Patel said the Congress could retain the post of the president as “We needed only two members and could easily win back some councillors. But we decided not to indulge in such a dirty game.”

Patel was here on Friday evening to address a meeting of party workers. The workers will hold a massive rally on Monday to protest against “the complete failure of the BJP government on all fronts.”