Navsari BJP Leaders from Koli Community Resign Over Alleged Sidelining
In a significant development, four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders belonging to the Koli community have resigned from their newly appointed posts in the Navsari district unit, alleging that they were sidelined by the party leadership. This move comes just a day after the BJP announced its office-bearers for the district, sparking concerns about internal discord.
Details of the Resignations
The four leaders who stepped down are Ashok Patel, who was appointed as district vice-president; Vijay Patel, named general secretary of Bakshi Panch; Prakash Patel, appointed general secretary of Kisan Morcha; and Chetna Patel, a Jalalpore Taluka Panchayat member who was made district BJP organisational secretary. All four submitted their resignation letters by leaving them on the table of Navsari district BJP president Bhuralal Shah during his absence.
Community Demands and Political Significance
The resignations hold particular importance due to the demographic makeup of the Jalalpore Assembly constituency, which falls within the Navsari district. This constituency has a substantial number of voters from the Koli community, and BJP leaders from this group had been advocating for prominent leadership roles, such as president or general secretary positions in the district unit. Currently, the Jalalpore Assembly constituency is represented by BJP MLA R C Patel, who is also a member of the Koli community.
Ashok Patel, 62, who previously served as Jalalpore taluka vice-president of the BJP, expressed his disappointment, stating, "We poured our blood, sweat and tears for the party. Our wish of growing up in the party has not been fulfilled. So, all four of us resigned from the newly-appointed posts." He had specifically requested to be appointed as the Navsari district general secretary but was instead given the vice-president role. Despite resigning, he affirmed that they would continue to work as "foot soldiers" for the party.
Allegations of Sidelining
Vijay Patel, 55, echoed these sentiments, alleging that Koli community leaders have been consistently overlooked in the party. "We have observed that our community leaders have not been given district president or general secretary posts for a long time. The three senior BJP leaders who resigned had demanded that Ashok Patel should be made general secretary, and honourable posts for others in the district unit. However, they (party leadership) turned down our demand. We are all heartbroken, so we decided to resign from our new posts," he explained. He also clarified that they "will not work against the party."
Party Response and Selection Process
In response to the resignations, Navsari district BJP president Bhuralal Shah defended the appointments, stating that the selection of office-bearers was carried out by the state leadership. "Before appointments, the state leadership sent a team to the district which held talks with the local leaders. They later held a meeting with the elected leaders in the coordination committee meeting at the district level. The names were later discussed at the state coordination committee, before announcing the list," Shah elaborated. This explanation highlights the top-down approach taken by the BJP in making these decisions.
Broader Political Context
The Navsari Lok Sabha constituency is represented by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil in Parliament, adding another layer of political significance to this incident. The resignations could potentially impact the BJP's outreach to the Koli community, a key voter base in the region, especially with upcoming elections in mind. This development underscores ongoing tensions within political parties over representation and leadership opportunities for various communities.
