Gujarat Minister Bachu Khabad will remain absent from the three-day monsoon session of the state assembly, scheduled from September 8 to 10. Khabad, who heads the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, has seen his responsibilities reassigned, with Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel tasked to respond to assembly questions on his ministry&rsquo;s behalf.
The move comes in the backdrop of the arrest of Khabad&rsquo;s sons in the multi-crore MNREGA scam in Devgadh Baria. Although granted bail after judicial custody, revelations about their alleged role have significantly weakened Khabad&rsquo;s standing. Since the controversy broke, he has been distanced from governance, missing over 18 cabinet meetings and being excluded from official programmes. He was absent at Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s Dahod event and the Independence Day celebrations. His last public appearance was in Godhra, after which his ministry has been largely dormant.
To mitigate potential political damage in Khabad&rsquo;s constituency, the ruling BJP is considering inducting Congress leader Bharat Vakhda. Party insiders believe this could help contain the fallout locally.
The opposition, however, has criticized the government&rsquo;s stance. Congress leader Tushar Chaudhary said Khabad is &ldquo;a minister only on paper,&rdquo; questioning why he remains in office if he cannot fulfill ministerial duties.

Scandal-hit Gujarat Min To Skip Monsoon Session

Sons’ role in MNREGA scam keeps minister away from over 18 cabinet meets and session

Scandal-hit Gujarat Min To Skip Monsoon Session

Sons’ role in MNREGA scam keeps minister away from over 18 cabinet meets and session

September 2, 2025 | 01:18 IST