Gujarat: 40 newly-elected MLAs facing criminal cases, says ADR
Ahmedabad, Dec 11: As many as 40 newly-elected MLAs in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly have criminal cases pending against them as per their election affidavits, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the Gujarat Election Watch.
Of these 40 MLAs, 29 members (16 per cent of a total 182) are facing serious criminal cases, such as the attempt to murder and rape, the ADR analysis showed. Among the 29 members, 20 belong to BJP, four to Congress, two are from Aam Aadmi Party, two are Independents, and one is from Samajwadi Party.
In the just-concluded Assembly elections, counting for which was held on December 8, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a seventh straight term in Gujarat by winning record 156 seats. The Congress won 17 constituencies and AAP 5.
The ADR study shows 26 (17 per cent) of the 156 MLAs of BJP, 9 (53 per cent) of 17 MLAs of Congress, two of five MLAs of AAP (40 per cent), two (68 per cent) of three Independents and lone Samajwadi Party candidate- Kandhal Jadeja- have declared criminal cases pending against them.
ADR works for electoral reforms and prepares such reports after analysing affidavits of all 182 newly-elected MLAs.
The study said the number of MLAs facing criminal cases decreased compared to 2017 when 47 elected members were found to be facing such cases.
At least three winning candidates have declared they are facing cases of attempt to murder under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. These candidates are Congress MLA from Vansda, Anant Patel, Congress MLA from Patan, Kirit Patel, and BJP MLA from Una, Kalubhai Rathod.
The study also shows four winning candidates have declared cases related to crimes against women under section 354 (outraging modesty of women) or under section 376 (rape) of the IPC.
Of these four, BJP's Jetha Bharwad faces rape charges while Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani, BJP MLA Janak Talaviya and AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava face charges under section 354 of the IPC.
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Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticizes Centre for steep hike in commercial LPG price
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has slammed the BJP government in the Centre for the hike in the price of commercial LPG, saying the sudden rise of the fuel rate by Rs 993 a cylinder has hit the common man hard.
Critically commenting that this was expected of the Centre after elections to five states, Rao posted in Kannada on his ‘X’ account on Saturday that the people have been shown only the trailer and, the real struggle is yet to begin.
“Since there is no election in any state, there will certainly be major hikes in the rates of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG in barely a few days,” he has predicted.
The minister has further tweeted, “The rate of commercial LPG has gone up to Rs 3,152 per cylinder, which will hit the hotel industry greatly. Ironically, the direct impact of the hike will be on customers of hotel.”
He pointed out that, earlier, the price used to be hiked by approximately Rs 50 and Rs 100 a cylinder. “This time, the rate has been shot up by Rs 993. What do we call this except daylight robbery? Can this be the ‘Acche Din’ that the BJP has been promising?” Rao asked mockingly.
He also questioned the cause for BJP members’ silence for the rate hike, reminding that the party always ‘threw a tantrum’ when a non-BJP government does so even at a minor level. “Does this reflect their fear of ‘Vishwaguru’ Modi? Is it the party’s sheer disregard for the welfare of the people?” he has questioned.
ಊಹಿಸಿದಂತೆಯೇ ಪಂಚರಾಜ್ಯ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಬಳಿಕ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಬೆಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆಯ ಛಾಟಿ ಬೀಸಲು ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸಿದೆ. ಕಮರ್ಷಿಯಲ್ ಸಿಲಿಂಡರ್ ಬೆಲೆಯನ್ನು ಏಕಾಏಕಿ ₹993 ಏರಿಸುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಮರ್ಮಘಾತ ನೀಡಿದೆ. ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಮುಗಿದ ಕೂಡಲೇ ಬೆಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಒಂದೇ ಭಾರಿ ₹993 ಹೆಚ್ಚಳ ಮಾಡಿರುವುದು ಅನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತದ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಆಘಾತ ತಂದಿದೆ.…
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) May 2, 2026
