THE six-term BJP MLA from Waghodia, Madhu Shrivastav, who’s as recognized for his flashy outfits as his knack to draw controversies, resigned from the celebration on Sunday, after refusing to fulfill Minister of State Harsh Sanghavi, the emissary despatched by the BJP to placate rebels. As a part of the peace effort, Sanghavi visited all of the constituencies in Vadodara and Narmada the place anger is brewing amongst ticket hopefuls.
Whereas the BJP doesn’t see Shrivastav’s departure as a “massive loss”, within the occasion that he goes forward together with his risk to file nomination as an Impartial, the celebration will likely be in for a tricky combat from Waghodia. Shrivastav, although, has introduced that if he wins, he would proceed supporting the BJP.
class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-8215186″ src=”https://photos.indianexpress.com/2022/10/Election_Creative_600x100_REV.jpg” alt=”” width=”600″ top=”100″ />
Generally known as a Dabangg and Bahubali domestically, Shrivastav first got here to nationwide prominence when the important thing witness within the Greatest Bakery 2002 Gujarat riots case, Zahira Sheikh, accused him of threatening her. Whereas Shrivastav denied the allegations, Sheikh had turned hostile within the case.
A railway truck driver who took the political plunge with civic physique polls in Vadodara, he shaped a political outfit known as Lokshahi Morcha for the elections, with cousin Chandrakant Shrivastav. The outfit gained 5 of the ten seats it contested within the civic physique and prolonged help to the BJP. In 1995, Shrivastav gained his first Meeting election as an Impartial, successful by over 25,000 votes, defeating each BJP and Congress candidates. The assistance he prolonged to folks throughout the large floods of 1994-95 is believed to have secured a stable vote financial institution for him.
Since then, he has gained each election from Waghodia, all the best way until 2017, with as spectacular margins. Alongside, he additionally constructed a profession in Gujarati movies, producing and performing in a number of, and making certain he stays within the limelight.
The cousin he shaped the Lokshahi Morcha with, in the meantime, is a veteran Congress corporator from Vadodara.
Given his recognition, the BJP stored Shrivastav on over time, regardless of a number of controversies, regarding his remarks, scuffles with mediapersons, and threats of resignation. In March 2019, to placate Shrivastav after one such episode, the BJP authorities appointed him as Chairperson of Gujarat Agro Industries Company Ltd, a government-run PSU.
The newest rift with the celebration started throughout the civic polls in Vadodara in February 2021, when his son Dipak, a sitting corporator, was disqualified from the election race for fathering three youngsters (folks with greater than two youngsters will not be allowed to contest for civic polls in Gujarat).
Shrivastav tried his finest to drive the celebration to discover a manner out and problem Dipak’s disqualification, however the BJP went forward with the nomination of a dummy candidate. Shrivastav had even produced authorized papers to strive set up that he and his spouse have been the adopted mother and father of Dipak’s third little one.
Extra lately, in March this 12 months, his daughter Neelam, who can be politically lively, was accused of copying throughout exams for M S College, Vadodara.
The BJP is taking part in down Shrivastav’s threats to contest as Impartial. After he dodged a gathering with Sanghavi, claiming to be out of Vadodara, a senior chief stated: “Individuals know Ashwin Patel, our candidate, as he has been district unit president in Vadodara and is standard. Individuals of Waghodia additionally know that Madhu has no affect, except he’s with the BJP. They vote for the celebration and consider in its ideology. Madhu is aware of this too, and has already stated he’ll help the BJP. He’s making an attempt to drive the celebration’s hand, nevertheless it has determined to go together with a recent face.”