Vadodara civic body allots 978 sq m plot to Yusuf Pathan, Congress cries foul
Synopsis
The Vadodara Municipal Corporation has gifted 500 square metres of prime municipal land to cricketer-turned-MP Yusuf Pathan and sold the rest at a steep discount — reversing over a decade of rejections and encroachment notices. The approval came months after Pathan's political switch away from the TMC, a timeline critics say is too convenient to ignore.
Key Takeaways
The VMC Standing Committee on 23 October 2026 unanimously approved allotment of a 978 sq m municipal plot to Yusuf Pathan in Tandalja, Vadodara .
500 sq m will be transferred to Pathan as a 'gift' ; the remaining 478 sq m at 55% of the official valuation.
The plot was valued at ₹2.10 lakh per sq m , putting the total land value at roughly ₹20.5 crore .
The Gujarat government had rejected Pathan's original allotment request in 2014 ; the VMC later served him an encroachment notice in June 2024 .
Pathan withdrew his Gujarat High Court appeal on 31 August 2026 , two days after the VMC received the state's approval for the transfer.
The approval followed Pathan's exit from the TMC in June 2026 to join the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) .
The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) Standing Committee on Friday, 23 October 2026, unanimously approved the allotment of a 978-square-metre municipal plot to former India cricketer and Member of Parliament Yusuf Pathan, even as the decision drew sharp criticism from the Congress. The approval comes more than a decade after the Gujarat government had rejected Pathan's original request for the same land in 2014 and the civic body had served him a notice over alleged encroachment.
What Was Approved and on What Terms
The plot in question is Final Plot No. 90 under Town Planning Scheme 22 in the Tandalja locality of Vadodara, situated adjacent to Pathan's bungalow. Under the approved proposal, 500 square metres will be transferred to him as a 'gift', while the remaining 478 square metres will be allotted at 55 per cent of the valuation determined by the Vadodara Urban Development Authority's Valuation Committee.
The land was valued at ₹2.10 lakh per square metre when the VMC considered putting it up for public auction earlier this year, placing the estimated value of the entire plot at approximately ₹20.5 crore. At that rate, the arrangement would allow Pathan to acquire the 500-square-metre portion at no cost and the remainder at a significantly concessional price.
What the Committee Said
Standing Committee chairperson Varsha Vyas stated that the panel had accepted the proposal on the basis of the state government's resolution and the recommendation submitted by the municipal commissioner. 'The allotment is being considered under the Urban/Area Development Authorities (Disposal of Land and Other Properties) Regulations, 2002, which provide for the disposal of land through sale or the grant of development rights,' she said.
Vyas added that the government had decided to allot the land in recognition of Pathan's contribution to Indian sport and that the committee had acted on the approval conveyed by the state. All 12 members of the Standing Committee belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which controls the civic body, and the proposal was reportedly cleared without any questions being raised during the meeting.
A Decade-Long Dispute
The controversy traces back to 3 March 2012, when Pathan applied to the VMC for a 99-year lease of the plot without a public auction. The civic body had initially approved the proposal, but the Gujarat government rejected it in June 2014. The VMC subsequently alleged that Pathan had fenced off and occupied the land despite the rejection.
In June 2024 — days after Pathan won the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket — the VMC served him a notice asking him to remove the alleged encroachment. Pathan challenged the original rejection before the Gujarat High Court, but a single judge dismissed his plea in August 2025. He subsequently filed an appeal, and the VMC began preparations for a public auction of the plot in July 2026.
Notably, the auction preparations were withdrawn after the VMC's General Board raised questions about the alleged encroachment and stated the land should not be disposed of until the dispute was resolved. Pathan withdrew his High Court appeal on 31 August 2026 — two days after the VMC received the state government's communication approving the proposed transfer.
The Political Backdrop
The timing of the approval has drawn scrutiny. The Gujarat government's clearance for the land transfer was issued in August 2026, roughly two months after Pathan and 19 other MPs broke away from the TMC on 14 June 2026 and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), seeking separate seating in the Lok Sabha. Critics argue the sequence of events raises questions about the political context of the approval, though no formal allegation of a quid pro quo has been established.
The Congress, which holds six corporators in the 69-member VMC but has no representation on the Standing Committee, staged a protest outside the committee hall before the meeting, with leaders and corporators holding placards criticising the BJP and the decision.
What Comes Next
The allotment decision could face fresh legal scrutiny, particularly given the Gujarat High Court's prior dismissal of Pathan's plea and the VMC's own earlier position that the land dispute had to be resolved before any disposal. Opposition pressure is also likely to intensify as details of the concessional terms — including the outright gift of 500 square metres — enter public debate.
Point of View
But the paper trail invites judicial challenge.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What has the Vadodara Municipal Corporation approved for Yusuf Pathan?
The VMC Standing Committee has approved allotment of a 978-square-metre municipal plot in Tandalja, Vadodara to former India cricketer and MP Yusuf Pathan. Under the arrangement, 500 sq m will be transferred to him free of cost as a 'gift', and the remaining 478 sq m at 55% of the official valuation, on a plot estimated to be worth around ₹20.5 crore.
Why is this allotment controversial?
The Gujarat government had rejected Pathan's original allotment request in 2014, and the VMC had served him an encroachment notice in June 2024 alleging he had fenced off the land despite the rejection. The reversal comes shortly after Pathan's political switch from the TMC to the NCPI in June 2026, a timeline critics argue raises questions about the basis of the approval.
What is the history of Yusuf Pathan's dispute over this plot?
Pathan first applied for a 99-year lease of the plot in March 2012. The VMC initially approved it, but the Gujarat government rejected the request in June 2014. The VMC then alleged encroachment and served a notice in June 2024. Pathan challenged the rejection in the Gujarat High Court, but his plea was dismissed in August 2025. He withdrew his appeal on 31 August 2026, two days after the VMC received state approval for the current transfer.
What political context surrounds the allotment?
Yusuf Pathan and 19 other MPs broke away from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on 14 June 2026 and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The Gujarat government issued its approval for the land transfer in August 2026, roughly two months after this political split. Critics have pointed to the timing, though no formal allegation of a quid pro quo has been established.
Who opposed the allotment and on what grounds?
The Congress, which holds six corporators in the 69-member VMC but has no seat on the 12-member BJP-controlled Standing Committee, staged a protest outside the committee hall before the meeting. Congress leaders and corporators carried placards opposing the transfer, arguing the decision was politically motivated and that public land should not be allotted on concessional terms to a sitting MP.
