A Rs 1.30 lakh refreshments bill at a Surat Municipal Corporation meeting has pitted the mayor against AAP. The dispute has sharpened scrutiny of public spending on official civic gatherings.The snack plate included two methi gotas, two aloo vadas, one piece of ghari, one chilli bhajiya and chutney. (Credits: Sanjay Singh J Rathod)Surat,Nov 1, 2026 08:23 ISTA bill of around Rs 1.30 lakh for bhajiyas, ghari and other refreshments served during a Surat Municipal Corporation general meeting has triggered a political row, with the Opposition questioning the expenditure of public money.The civic body reportedly purchased 131 kg of bhajiyas at Rs 750 per kg for the meeting held on Chandi Padwa, prompting the mayor to defend the spending on grounds of food quality.According to the details of the expenditure, the bhajiyas alone cost approximately Rs 1 lakh.

The civic body also spent around Rs 20,000 on ghari, a traditional Gujarati sweet, and another Rs 10,000 on miscellaneous expenses. The total bill reportedly stood at around Rs 1.30 lakh.Around 350 to 400 people, including councillors, municipal officials, marshals, support staff and journalists, attended the meeting.

Based on the estimated attendance and total expenditure, the average cost of refreshments per person worked out to approximately Rs 370. The snack plate reportedly included two methi gotas, two aloo vadas, one piece of ghari, one chilli bhajiya and chutney.SURAT MAYOR DEFENDS EXPENDITURE, SAYS QUALITY WAS PRIORITYSurat Mayor Maya Mavani defended the expenditure, saying refreshments were arranged as part of the civic body's long-standing practice of serving snacks during general meetings.

She said the meeting coincided with Chandi Padwa, an occasion traditionally associated with the consumption of ghari and savoury snacks in Surat. The arrangements were made for councillors, officials, media personnel, municipal staff and other visitors.Mavani said the bhajiyas were purchased at Rs 750 per kg, although their market price was around Rs 800 per kg.

She maintained that the civic body had prioritised quality while selecting the supplier.The mayor also said 131 kg of bhajiyas were served to those attending the meeting and described the arrangement as an effort to provide good-quality refreshments to everyone present.Defending the decision, she said providing quality food to visitors was not wrong and that the arrangements were made in keeping with the festive occasion.AAP QUESTIONS USE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEYHowever, Surat Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Gujarat president and municipal councillor Dharmesh Bhanderi questioned the expenditure, accusing the BJP-led civic administration of wasting public money.Bhanderi said general meetings were intended to discuss public issues, development work and budgetary matters. He questioned why such a large amount was spent on refreshments for a meeting that lasted around 90 minutes.He also pointed out that the BJP often promotes the concept of 'tiffin meetings', where party members bring food from home, but the civic body had spent a substantial amount on refreshments during its general meeting.Bhanderi said AAP councillors had avoided accepting food arrangements during previous municipal meetings and instead brought their own meals from home.He further questioned the mayor's justification that the higher expenditure was necessary to ensure food quality, arguing that similar snacks were available at lower prices elsewhere.DEBATE OVER MUNICIPAL SPENDINGThe dispute has triggered a debate over the use of public funds and spending priorities at the Surat Municipal Corporation.While the mayor has maintained that the expenditure was justified by the festive occasion and the quality of refreshments, the Opposition has questioned whether such spending was necessary when municipal funds could be directed towards civic infrastructure and public services.The controversy has brought the civic body's expenditure on official meetings under scrutiny, with the ruling BJP and Opposition AAP taking opposing positions on the issue.- EndsWith inputs from Sanjay Singh J Rathod