3 years after suspension, corporator Alpesh Limbachiya back in BJP fold
Alpesh Limbachiya BJP return ahead of Vadodara civic polls comes nearly three years after suspension over defamation allegations involving former Mayor.
Alpesh Limbachiya BJP return has been confirmed ahead of Vadodara civic polls, nearly three years after his suspension over a defamation case involving former Mayor. (File Photo)
NEARLY THREE years after the BJP suspended Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) corporator Alpesh Limbachiya for a period of six years over his alleged involvement in a case of “defamation” of the then Mayor Nilesh Rathod by way of an anonymous letter alleging corruption, the Vadodara city BJP welcomed Limbachiya back into the party fold on Friday.
The move comes ahead of the April 26 civic polls and a day after the party completed its two-day exercise of “gathering a sense” about the popularity of aspiring candidates. Limbachiya was also the Ruling Party Leader in the civic body at the time of his suspension in July 2023 following his arrest by the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) for allegedly defaming Rathod by releasing an anonymous letter. The letter, which had surfaced on July 8, 2023, was sent by post to all the office-bearers and elected representatives of the BJP as well as other prominent party leaders. In the letter, Rathod was accused of ‘favouring builders’, corruption and siphoning off money from the funds of MLA Yogesh Patel, among other allegations.
On Friday, Vadodara city unit President Jayprakash Soni welcomed Limbachiya along with other office-bearers at the party office. Limbachiya’s inclusion into the party fold does not come as a surprise as he was spotted with several BJP leaders at public events in the past few weeks, even putting up photos on social media.
Following his suspension, Limbachiya – an outgoing corporator from Ward 17, from which Rathod is also elected, remained a corporator in his independent capacity. Sources said the party decided to accept Limbachiya back into the fold as he had made “multiple requests” and “expressed regret” over the controversy. Moreover, Limbachiya is known to wield considerable influence in his ward and the inclusion gives BJP an edge.
When contacted, Soni told this newspaper, “The inclusion of Alpesh Limbachiya into the party is not an election move… He had been in touch with us for a long time and was requesting the party to take him back with the assurance that he will work in a disciplined manner. The party has observed how he has behaved in the last three years and his conduct during the time of his suspension. So accordingly, the decision was taken to bring him back.”
In the 2023 case of the Crime Branch, apart from Limbachiya, his two relatives – Amit Limbachiya and Aakash Nai had also been arrested for their alleged involvement in printing and distributing the anonymous letters. Limbachiya remained unavailable for comment on Friday.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
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