A political standoff has erupted in Gandhinagar over the allocation of government bungalows, with the Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trading accusations of favouritism and misuse of official housing.
The dispute began after Congress MLA Amit Chavda was denied a government Type A bungalow despite offering to pay rent at commercial rates. In contrast, BJP state president C R Patil has been residing in a similar government property since 2020. Chavda&rsquo;s request was turned down by the state government, triggering sharp criticism and allegations of discriminatory treatment.
Questions have been raised about the manner in which these bungalows are allotted. According to regulations, a department must be listed in official records for such allotments. However, in Patil&rsquo;s case, the bungalow was sanctioned with the department marked as &lsquo;Kamalam&rsquo;, referring to the BJP&rsquo;s party headquarters.&nbsp;
A Type A bungalow of the same category has also been assigned to senior officials such as Inspector General Nirja Gotru, Deputy Inspector General Archana Shivhare, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests K N Randhawa, and Additional Director General Mayanksinh Chavda.
In his criticism, Chavda demanded scrutiny into how government housing is being distributed. &ldquo;If an investigation is carried out to determine who has received government accommodation and who currently occupies it, some startling facts will come to the surface,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
He further pointed to BJP leader Ratnakar, who is residing in a government-owned property, questioning the legal basis for such an arrangement.&nbsp;
The disagreement has highlighted a perceived double standard in the treatment of ruling and opposition figures. While senior BJP leaders appear to have secured government residences, the opposition&rsquo;s appeal for similar access&mdash;even on a rental basis&mdash;has been declined.
The controversy is reminiscent of an earlier incident when Paresh Dhanani served as Leader of the Opposition. At that time, Babu Bokhiria, who held no ministerial role, refused to vacate a bungalow designated for the opposition leader. The government had to step in and forcibly repossess the property before it could be handed over.

Congress alleges bias as BJP leaders get state bungalows while Opposition leader is denied one.

BJP-Congress Clash Over Govt Bungalows in Gujarat

Congress alleges bias as BJP leaders get state bungalows while Opposition leader is denied one.

July 2, 2025 | 01:21 IST