After ditching Mamata Banerjee, Yusuf Pathan gets a gift from Gujarat govt

VADODARA: The state govt has approved a proposal to allot a disputed 978 sqm Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) plot in Tandalja area to former India cricketer and ex-TMC MP Yusuf Pathan, with 500 sqm to be gifted to him for residential use and the remaining 478 sq metres transferred at 55% of the assessed valuation.VMC municipal commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu confirmed that the civic body had received the govt’s approval for the allotment sought by Pathan.

“However, the details are yet to be finalised, and the proposal will have to go through VMC’s standing committee and general board approval process,” he said.The proposal will be considered by the Standing Committee before being placed for General Board ratification.The decision comes nearly two months after Pathan and other rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MPs broke away from Mamata Banerjee and announced their merger with Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) on June 14, 2026, following BJP’s victory in the West Bengal assembly elections.

Pathan was appointed one of the national vice-presidents of NCPI.The proposal, prepared by VMC’s land estate department, concerns a plot in Tandalja under town planning scheme 22, final plot 90. The land has an estimated market value of Rs 20.53 crore, based on a valuation of Rs 2.10 lakh per sq m approved by the civic body.Govt’s resolution reached VMC at the end of Aug. Pathan later withdrew his appeal before Gujarat High Court against the rejection of his earlier claim to the plot.Under the resolution, 500 sq m of the municipal land will be allotted to Pathan as a gift for residential use.

The remaining 478 sq metres will be transferred at 55% of the valuation determined by the valuation committee of Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) on March 17, 2026, amounting to a 45% concession against that valuation.The resolution states that the arrangement will not set a precedent for similar cases. It also provides that the revenue department will allot VMC land equivalent in value to the land transferred to Pathan.The controversy dates back to 2012, when Pathan sought a 99-year lease of the plot adjoining his family’s residence.

In his application, he cited security concerns arising from his profile as an international cricketer and said the adjoining land would be convenient for residential use.The standing committee and general board approved the proposal to allot the plot directly to him without a public auction and forwarded it to the state govt for approval. In June 2014, however, the urban development department rejected the proposal, citing the need for a public auction or open bidding for valuable land.The civic body subsequently alleged that Pathan had fenced and occupied the plot despite the rejection.

The issue resurfaced in June 2024, days after he won the 2024 Lok Sabha election, when VMC issued him a notice directing him to remove the alleged encroachment.Pathan challenged the action before the high court. His lawyers relied on a govt policy concerning allotment of land to international sportspersons, while VMC argued that the plot belonged to the civic body and could not be allotted without following the prescribed procedure.In Aug 2025, the high court upheld govt’s rejection.

The court held that prolonged possession without an allotment order or payment did not create a legal right to the land.Pathan subsequently appealed against the order. During hearings in June 2026, a division bench questioned how he had taken possession of public land without completing the allotment formalities or making payment. The court also cautioned that continued occupation could increase his financial liability.On Aug 31, Pathan withdrew his appeal unconditionally.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Vadodara | Silver Rate in Vadodara | Bank Holidays in Vadodara | Public Holidays in Vadodara | Vadodara AQI | Weather in Vadodara | Petrol Price in Vadodara | Diesel Price in Vadodara | CNG Price in Vadodara | LPG Price in VadodaraStay updated with the latest Vadodara news.

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