Vadodara, Oct 20, 2026 12:56 IST: The Gujarat government has proposed handing over a long-disputed municipal plot in Vadodara to former cricketer and Member of Parliament Yusuf Pathan, months after he broke away from the Trinamool Congress.

Under the proposal, Pathan would receive 500 square metres of the land as a gift, while the remaining 478 square metres would be offered at a concessional rate. The plan is scheduled to be placed before the BJP-ruled Vadodara Municipal Corporation's standing committee for final approval on October 23.

The initiative was submitted by the municipal commissioner, according to the agenda shared on Monday. The 978-square-metre residential plot is situated directly next to Pathan's family home in Vadodara's Tandalja locality.

Pathan had sought acquisition of the plot since 2012, but his efforts faced numerous legal hurdles and notices from the civic body regarding alleged encroachment. Under the terms of the latest arrangement, the remaining 478 square metres will be priced at 55 per cent of the valuation fixed by the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Valuation Committee, reflecting a 45 per cent concession. The allotment is conditioned on specific terms set under a 2024 resolution issued by the Gujarat Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.

The development arrives roughly four months after Pathan aligned with a faction of 20 TMC lawmakers who separated from Mamata Banerjee's party and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, subsequently aligning with the National Democratic Alliance in Parliament. Pathan entered the Lok Sabha in 2024 after winning the Baharampur constituency in West Bengal on a TMC ticket.

The land has been the subject of contention between Pathan and local authorities for more than ten years. When he initially requested to purchase the adjacent land in 2012, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation consented, but the state government blocked the sale in 2014.

Following Pathan's election to Parliament in 2024, the municipal corporation served him a notice ordering the removal of alleged encroachments and the clearance of the municipal property. Pathan contested the directive in the Gujarat High Court, contending that the issue spanned over a decade and that authorities were obligated to seek an explanation before demanding clearance. He also maintained that the property belonged to the municipal corporation rather than the state government. The High Court ultimately upheld the state's prior rejection of his acquisition request.

Pathan subsequently appealed that decision before a two-judge division bench. In August, the appeal was withdrawn after his legal counsel informed the court that Pathan intended to pursue his claim through the state government's established policy framework.

If the standing committee grants its approval, the arrangement will grant Pathan the 978-square-metre disputed plot, distributing 500 square metres as a gift alongside the remaining portion at a 45 per cent discount in accordance with conditions outlined by the municipal commissioner.