BJP MP accuses AAP MLA of Rs 75 lakh demand during PM programs, threatens to quit party
AHMEDABAD: A storm has erupted in Gujarats Narmada district after Bharuch BJP MP Mansukh Vasava accused AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava of demanding Rs 75 lakh during programmes linked to the Prime Minister, triggering a political clash that has drawn in the district collector and put the ruling BJP government under direct pressure. The controversy revolves around what began as coordination over a Prime Ministerial programme has escalated into allegations of extortion, administrative intimidation and threats of political rebellion. The dispute, which initially surfaced during coordination meetings, escalated after the BJP MP alleged that the AAP MLA had demanded and scattered Rs 75 lakh from officials of the Roads and Buildings Department during two major national-level programmes held in the district. The controversy deepened when Mansukh Vasava targeted not only the opposition MLA but also the district administration. Speaking to the media in an unusually aggressive tone, he said, I have a recording of the Rs 75 lakh demand, yet I fail to understand why the collector is suppressing the matter. The collector appears afraid of Chaitar Vasava. With this statement, the MP directly questioned the neutrality of the district collector, suggesting the administration was bending under political pressure. The BJP MP went a step further by issuing a dramatic ultimatum to his own party. I am fighting for the government and for honest officials. But if the government does not give me justice, I will leave the Bharatiya Janata Party. I cannot tolerate such wrong people, he said, sending shockwaves through BJP ranks in the tribal belt. According to Mansukh Vasava, the alleged demand surfaced twice during district coordination meetings, where Chaitar Vasava repeatedly sought details of expenditure related to the programmes. Even after officials presented the accounts, he continued to intimidate them and demanded Rs 75 lakh, the MP claimed, adding that he objected immediately and ensured no money was paid. The controversy took a sharper turn when BJP MP claimed that the district collector had earlier acknowledged the demand in the presence of the district BJP president. However, when Chaitar Vasava later met the collector seeking clarification, the collector reportedly denied that any such demand had been made. That sudden U-turn has left me furious, the MP said, accusing the administration of backtracking under pressure. Escalating the issue further, Mansukh Vasava said, This is not a small matter that can be brushed aside. If this continues in the media, the state government will have to decide who is right the collector, Chaitar Vasava or Mansukh Vasava. He insisted that both the collector and the state government must take a clear stand and warned that he would not allow the matter to fade. In one of his strongest remarks, the MP said, Chaitar Vasava is dominating the district collector, and the collector is sitting as if nothing has happened. I will place all facts before the government. If justice is denied to me, I will quit the BJP. He reiterated that his fight was not for personal gain but to protect officials and development works from what he described as wrong elements. Providing political context, Mansukh Vasava referred to an earlier press conference in which he had accused AAP leaders, without naming them, of acting like agents in tribal districts. They roam across the state, disrupt development works, demand inquiries in coordination meetings, and then harass officials and agencies, he alleged, claiming such tactics were leading to siphoning off lakhs of rupees meant for tribal development projects. As accusations continue to fly, the Narmada controversy has moved beyond a local dispute, placing the BJP government, district administration and AAP leadership under intense scrutiny and turning a Prime Ministerial programme into one of Gujarats most explosive political flashpoints.
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