Getting office space in Ahmedabad wasn’t easy for GPP

Soon after its launch in August, party leaders of Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) got busy looking for a bigger and better place in central Ahmedabad to establish its headquarters. However, the party had to call off many deals with half-a dozen property owners owing to pressure from the BJP.

“We had to call off deals with six people before finalising the office. We feel all of them were under tremendous pressure from BJP leaders and had been warned against giving office space for our party headquarters,” says a senior leader from GPP.

Finally on Wednesday, GPP inaugurated its office in the new premises at Ratnamani complex near Ellisbridge. “We have rented the 3,600 square feet area after much trouble in last one and half months. We will be using three floors of the building as the party’s state headquarters,” leader adds.

According to party sources, before finalising the place, GPP had finalised an office at same place where Gordhan Zadaphia led Mahagujarat Janata Party (MJP) has its headquarters. “We finalised an office in Abhinav complex.

All terms and conditions had been finalised. We were just waiting for the keys to be handed over to us. However, the owner refused to give us at the place at last moment as he was under pressure from the BJP,” the leader said.

After that the party finalised another space near Mahalaxmi Panch Rasta in Paldi. “We had paid the token amount, rent agreement was finalised and furniture work was about to start when the owner refused to give us possession. He was also under pressure from the ruling party,” he added.

Similarly, GPP was not able to find place for itself in Ahmedabad in four more locations. “Despite being a political party we pay rent on time. We give them post dated cheques for rent in advance. Only pressure from BJP had kept us away from renting a place. Now, we have got the place and the new office will be fully operational from Gandhi Jayanti,” he said.

Publicly no BJP leader talks about Keshubhai or his party. They not even try not to accuse or allege anything against them. However, on the ground, passive arm twisting and pressure tactics are different than what meets the eye, pundits opine.