3 min readSuratMar 3, 2026 06:26 AM IST
Navsari district BJP president Bhuralal Shah has claimed that a number of local leaders who had resigned last month have changed their decision after negotiations. Shah’s claims have come after significant upheaval in the Navsari BJP unit with a total of 58 party leaders having resigned from their post since February over the appointment of new office bearers in the district party organisation.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Monday, Navsari district BJP president Bhuralal Shah said, “Out of 58 party leaders who resigned from their posts, 33 resignations were accepted, while the remaining 25 have withdrawn their resignations. We have not expelled those 33 leaders from the party. They have claimed to still be loyal to the party. In the coming days, if any leader who had given their resignation demands a ticket in the upcoming local domestic election, their behaviour with the party will be taken into consideration. Nobody is above the party, and any act of indiscipline will not be tolerated.”
When Shah was asked about the leaders who had withdrawn their resignations, he did not reveal their names.
BJP leader from Navsari’s Jalalpore, Ashok Patel contradicted the District BJP chief saying, “Bhuralal Shah had claimed that 25 leaders had withdrawn their resignation, but this is false, as nobody has withdrawn their resignation. We have cross-checked and found that they have not withdrawn. The party leaders are putting pressure on them to get withdraw their resignations.”
After the list of new appointments in the Navsari district was released, the BJP organisation office bearers were declared in the second week of February. Those leaders who wished to hold higher posts in the party had revolted against the party, along with their supporters. The resignations had started after Ashok Patel, who had been appointed vice president of the district, quit his post because he was denied the post of District General Secretary.
The majority of the party leaders who resigned belong to the Koli Community, which has a dominant presence in the Navsari district. Sources in the party said that those who resigned are loyalists of the Navsari MLA, BJP’s R C Patel.
The leaders who gave up their posts mentioned in their resignation letters that they would still remain party workers despite stepping down.
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“Those who had resigned from the party felt that an injustice was done against them. The main issue is that Jalalpore BJP leaders have not been given leadership posts in the district organisation, which has led them to revolt. They will work for the party, fulfil all the responsibilities given to them and will not go against the interests of the party,” said Ashok Patel.
