Manish Sanghani could perhaps take a lesson or two from his father, state Agriculture Minister Dileep Sanghani. The Amreli MLA, who doesn’t own any vehicle, as his Assembly election affidavit states — the family owns a single motorcycle worth Rs 50,000, belonging to Manish — believes in paying a monthly rent for letting his family use his official car.

On Wednesday night, the Navratri revellers in Vadodara’s Fatehgunj neighbourhood were a bit surprised. Nattily dressed youths stood by a state government car — complete with a Gandhinagar registration (GJ 18AC 9560), a red beacon, and a chauffer — as it stood in the no-parking zone outside the Saffron Complex in Fatehgunj between 10.30 pm and 1.50 am.

A traffic policeman managed the bustling traffic, unmindful of the official car, a Maruti Suzuki SX4, in the no parking zone.

Standing by the official car was Manish Sanghani and his friends. An MSU alumnus, the minister’s only son was visiting Vadodara for the Navratri celebrations and residing in the Vadodara Circuit House.

The minister confirmed that he was not visiting Vadodara, but it was his son Manish. “My family can use the Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry car, if I pay a monthly rent. My son was in Vadodara using the department car, but I will pay the rent to the government for the same,” said Sanghani.

On being told that his son was using the car with the red beacon, he said: “It is the duty of the driver to cover it with a black cap.”

... contd.