Gujarat: BJP MLA threatens illegal residents of his constituency in public meeting

VADODARA: A major row was sparked after a video of Waghodia BJP MLA Madhu Shrivastava issuing threats to voters went viral on the social media. Shrivastava was seen threatening voters staying illegally in the constituency that he would fix them if BJP did not get votes.


The video is of the public meeting held for the inauguration of the election office of the BJP for the Waghodiya assembly segment of the Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency on Wednesday night. The assembly seat is the stronghold of the legislator who often shoots from the hip.

Speaking on the occasion, Shrivastava said that he would fix whoever was staying illegally in the area. He said that he was willing to do ‘dadagiri’ to fight. He pointed out that for years he had been taking care of those staying illegally and had given them water, light and other facilities. “But you are not paying taxes to the panchayat,” he said.

BJP candidate for the Vadodara seat Ranjan Bhatt and several leaders were on the dais when Shrivastava was speaking. Shrivastava was recently appointed as the chairman of the Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation.

While Shrivastava could not be reached for a comment, city unit Congress senior vice president Shailesh Amin sought action against Shrivastava for violation of the code of conduct. Amin submitted an application in this regard to the district collector and returning officer.

Amin said that the language used by Shrivastava was clearly a threat issued to voters. “With this kind of language and campaigning, free and fair elections cannot take place,” he said. Amin has demanded that Shrivastava should be kept away from the Vadodara parliamentary constituency and a criminal offence should be registered against him.