2 min readApr 22, 2026 05:48 AM ISTThe BJP MLA from Vadodara City is the guardian minister for Chhota Udepur constituency.A video of Gujarat Minister of State Manisha Vakil campaigning for the upcoming local body polls in Chhota Udepur district was doing the rounds on the internet on Tuesday. In it, Vakil, who holds the Women & Child Development, Social Justice and Empowerment portfolio, can be purportedly heard telling voters to remember that “the BJP government is in power” in the state and at the Centre and, therefore, “only BJP leaders at the local level will be able to get public work done” as leaders from the opposition or those who have filed nominations in rebellion “will not come to Gandhinagar to approach the government”. While the video—from Palej village of Bodeli taluka of the district — was widely circulated with claims that Vakil had threatened voters to vote for the BJP candidates or remain without development, the minister told this newspaper, “I was speaking in reference to a local candidate, who has filed his independent nomination and is a rebel from the BJP… He has influence and has been intimidating even the BJP candidates so much that they refused to turn up even for my meeting. Instead, the supporters of this local rebel candidate turned up at the event to instigate… I warned the voters that such leaders, who contest polls in a battle of egos, will never come to meet the MLAs and MPs with genuine interest for public works…Otherwise, the government is always proactive in looking into requests made by all elected representatives, regardless of political affiliation.” The BJP MLA from Vadodara City is the guardian minister for Chhota Udepur constituency.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Gujarat confidentialAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...