Gujarat BJP MLAs protest alleged ‘Adhikari Raj’, submit complaint to CMO

Five BJP legislators from Vadodara district staged a protest on Thursday against what they described as ‘Adhikari Raj’, also known as bureaucratic dominance in the Gujarat administration. 

The MLAs accused senior officials of sidelining elected representatives and running the government in an arbitrary manner.

The legislators—Ketan Inamdar, Shailesh Mehta, Dharmendrasinh Jhala, Akshay Patel and Chaitanyasinh Jhala—submitted a letter to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in Gandhinagar, alleging that officials ranging from the district collector and municipal commissioner to the district development officer and senior police officers were issuing orders without consulting either MLAs or ministers.

In their complaint, the MLAs stated that senior officers were presenting a “rosy picture” to the government that was far removed from the ground realities. They alleged that officials were preoccupied with video conferences and meetings, while routine work for the public remained pending. 

The MLAs also accused officials of adopting a negative and high-handed attitude, claiming that bureaucrats had begun to see themselves as the government. 

Although the MLAs had sought to meet the CM in person to raise their concerns, they were unable to secure an appointment due to his official engagements. They ultimately submitted their grievances in writing to the CMO.