An MP, MLA and mayor from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party indulged in a verbal spat in public during an event in Jamnagar in Gujarat on Thursday, with the incident being captured by news channels present at the venue.
First-time MLA Rivaba Jadeja, in videos of the event, could be seen engaged in a heated exchange of words with Jamnagar Lok Sabha MP Poonamben Madam and city mayor Binaben Kothari when the three were attending the 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' campaign at Ranmal Lake.
In the video, Rivaba Jadeja, wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, can be heard telling Madam "You just leave it. You only stoked the fire and now you are trying to douse it. You said some people dont know anything but they try to be smart. I am feeling embarrassed because you said it in public."
Later, Rivaba Jadeja can be seen scolding Kothari over some issue and asking the latter to "lower her tone".
In response, Kothari can be heard telling Jadeja to go to her place and to be "careful" since she was "talking to the mayor". Kothari also accused Jadeja of using the word "aukat" (standing/stature) for her.
Madam can be seen intervening and asking Jadeja to show respect to Kothari as she was elder to the Jamnagar North MLA.
Rivaba Jadeja later said it all started because Madam made a comment that she was trying to be "over smart".
"Before garlanding the photos of martyrs, I removed my footwear. However, Madam kept her footwear on. After me, many others followed suit and removed their footwear while placing garlands on the photos," Rivaba Jadeja said.
"Then, Madam loudly said some people were being over smart since even the president and PM do not remove their shoes at such events," Rivaba Jadeja told reporters.
"Since that jibe was directed at me, I confronted her (Madam). Though Binaben was not in the picture, she started defending the MP and started shouting at me," the MLA claimed.
Kothari later told reporters the issue was a "family matter of her party" and refused to speak further on it.
