Three MLAs of ruling BJP in Gujarat have alleged that bureaucrats and senior police officials are not paying heed to the issues being raised by them about their constituencies.
MLAs Madhu Srivastav, Yogesh Patel, and Ketan Inamdar who represent Vaghodia, Manjalpur and Savli seats respectively held a meeting here last night to express "unhappiness" over the "attitude" of officers.
"We want improvement in the style of functioning of IAS and IPS officials who do not take action on our representations on many issues and treat us as if we are nothing despite the fact that we are elected representatives. We are like show pieces for them," Srivastav told PTI today.
"I wonder what the common people must be facing at a time when these bureaucrats are not bothered to listen and solve grievances of the elected representatives?" he said.
The MLA said even on Tuesdays, which are reserved for meeting legislators, they had to wait in queue before thay can meet the officers concerned.
"Some time ministers and bureaucrats go away without meeting the MLAs," claimed Srivastav whose name had surfaced in the 2002 Best Bakery riot case.
He clarified that he and other two MLAs are not against the BJP but against those bureaucrats who shirk their responsibility.
Srivastav claimed that four other MLAs of the party have also expressed their support to him.
"The BJP will not do well in Gujarat in the Lok Sabha polls next year if the functioning of bureaucracy is not improved," the MLA said.
He said they would make a representation of their grievances once chief minister Vijay Rupani returns from his tour of Israel.
"We will take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah if it is not resolved," Srivastav said.
When contacted, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said these three MLAs have spoken with him and meet him tomorrow.
"The MLAs have talked to me and party president Jitu Vaghani. They are meeting me tomorrow. We will talk to them and try and resolve the issue," he said.
Meanwhile, state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya today met one of the three MLAs, Ketan Inamdar.
"Inamdar is not unhappy with the party," he added.
State Congress in-charge Rajiv Satav took a dig at the ruling BJP over the outburst of the MLAs.
"We have been saying it for years that the Gujarat government does not listen to the common people. The government does not listen to farmers, unemployed youths or anybody. Now, even the BJP MLAs are saying the same thing today," Satav said in Ahmedabad.
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