Devusinh Chauhan

Union Minister Devusingh Chauhan’s hopes to retain his parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections are alive and well. The returning officer for Kheda has ruled that a complaint filed against the incumbent MP is invalid as it was filed after the deadline for scrutiny had passed.

Nadiad-resident Jayesh Talati had filed a complaint stating that Chauhan’s discharge affidavit has no mention of amounts paid towards electricity bill, tax or rent for the Sansad Suvidha Kendra he launched after he was elected in 2014. 

The Sansad Suvidha Kendra, a facilitation centre for public affairs related to members of Parliament, uses an old office belonging to the Road Building Division at Planning Bhawan. Talati alleged that Chauhan hid and misrepresented these details before the election officer, and demanded the latter’s nomination be cancelled. 

Talati has also previously written to Kheda’s district collector, citing Chauhan’s non-payment of pending dues.

Returning officer for Kheda Lok Sabha constituency, Amit Prakash Yadav told Gujarat Samachar, “We had set aside ample time for queries and concerns to be raised over all contestants and candidates from all parties. However, this particular complaint came after that deadline ended. So the issue is out of my hands.” 

A former Central government employee, Chauhan lost his first election in 2002. He was elected as MLA from Matar in 2007, and then MP from Kheda in 2014, when he defeated five-time MP Dinsha Patel. His winning streak continued in 2019, where he won by an overwhelming margin of 3,67,145 votes.

Currently the Minister of State for Communications, he made waves earlier this year for urging the Kheda district administration to observe a “no-meat” day on Jan 22, to coincide with the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. 

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