Meanwhile, a similar feud has exploded in Vallabhipur, Bhavnagar. At a Sarpanch event in Limda village, former district BJP chief Mukesh Langaliya publicly accused MLA Shambhunath Tundiya of shielding corrupt aides who extort money from contractors working on local infrastructure projects. The charges involving causeways, government buildings, and highway works are serious enough to have reached the state BJP’s corridors, even as Langaliya went rogue by defying party orders and holding the event, effectively splitting the local unit into two warring camps.The unrest isn’t limited to rural Gujarat. In Ahmedabad’s Asarwa constituency, BJP MLA Darshanaben Vaghela was recently surrounded by angry citizens over basic civic amenities. A video of the confrontation shot near the Civil Hospital went viral, prompting severe embarrassment for the city BJP leadership. While corporators and ward workers were scolded, the political damage had already been done. Party insiders say the clip has now made its way to state-level leaders, intensifying concerns about the BJP’s urban image.Adding fuel to the fire is the state-level leadership vacuum. It’s been over seven months since the BJP formed its new organisational structure, yet the state president’s chair remains with questions. With no consensus on caste calculations, decision-making is stalled, and uncertainty is trickling down. CR Patil, whose extended term ended after the Lok Sabha elections, is set to complete five years as Gujarat BJP president, having taken charge on July 20, 2020. Despite his elevation to the Union Cabinet in June 2024, he continues to hold the post, making him one of the longest-serving state chiefs in recent times. Now largely absorbed in his Union ministerial role, leaving the state cadre without a visible guiding hand.The organisational drift is evident. Out of Gujarat’s four BJP zones, only two have active general secretaries. Though city and district presidents were appointed months ago, there’s been no finalisation of regional structures, and programs are limping forward amid factional bickering.From rural talukas to state headquarters, the BJP’s famed discipline is unravelling, exposing deep cracks in Gujarat’s saffron fortress.
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