Dahod: Minister of State Bachubhai Khabad who was silent and not visible for last few days suddenly surfaced on Tuesday and argued in favor of his two sons before the media. Khabad’s both sons are arrested by police in MGNREGA scam. Khabad’s nephew is also under arrest in this scam.

While his exit from the Ministry is looming and it is believed just a matter of time, Khabad in reply to media questions refused to resign and said he managed to ensure lead of one lakh eleven thousands votes to party in Lok Sabha elections(2024) in his assembly constituency area.

Khabad in his arguments further said his sons had only supplied material for MGNREGA works and they had no contract for construction. Khabad said he had prolonged political experience and he was elected for four terms. Khabad targeted Congress party for “false allegations”. He said there were total 35 traders booked by police and his sons’ trading firms were not the only one under probe. In the line of innocent till proven guilty logic, Khabad said police would investigate into the allegations and whatever result of probe would be acceptable to him. Khabad said he was roaming across the villages to ensure huge participation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming public meeting in Dahod on May 26.

It’s worth noting that Khabad’s both sons are arrested because their firms received payments worth crores of Rupees from local government administration, even though their firms had not won any tender or contract for supply of construction material for roads and other works. It was revealed that the works for which full payment was made were uncompleted on the ground, while on paper same works were shown as completed.The scam belongs to two talukas of Dahod district. Two firms belonging to Khabad’s sons were issued payments worth over Rs. 30 crore for material supply, even though they were not contracted for the same.

Khabad’s exit from the State cabinet – in honorable way, if he resigns, or eventually his removal, if he refuses to resign – is expected anytime in future after Prime Minister’s visit to Dahod which is scheduled on May 26. The State government doesn’t want his exit in knee jerk mode. Speculations of cabinet reshuffling are rife as two other ministers were in controversy recently. While one minister’s son’s name surfaced in Nagaland gun license controversy, the other minister attracted bad press for his bonhomie with a ponzi scheme  proprietor. One minister performed very poorly in his assembly constituency area in terms of votes in the last Lok Sabha election. At least two ministers are considered inactive and lack visibility.

Bachubhai Maganbhai Khabad was elected to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from Devgadhbariya in the 2002, 2012, 2017 and 2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was sworn in as Minister of State for Fisheries, Forest and Environment in Anandiben Patel cabinet in 2014. Khabad belongs to the Koli caste of Gujarat.1955 born Bachubhai belongs to Dhanpur taluka’s Pipero village. He is second year BA by education. He is guardian minister for Mahisagar-Lunawada and Aravalli districts. He is presently Minister of State for Panchayat and Agriculture.

DeshGujarat