A majority of members held Dhalaria responsible for the prolonged strike that nearly paralysed the hospital administration, before it was called off on Sunday. The latest agitation, one of the many in the recent past, lasted for more than a month.

Junior doctors charged Dhalaria with holding back from them the state government's side of the story. Dhalaria, who was also president of All Gujarat JDA Action Committee, hoodwinked them into believing that he used to go to Gandhinagar while staying in Vadodara, they claimed in the meeting.

The strike would have been called off much early had the agitating doctors known that the state government had already agreed to increase the stipend; an assurance it had given when the doctors observed a day's token strike in August.

Some doctors claimed they were afraid of Dhalaria for the clout he wields on the campus. Besides being a member in the South Gujarat University Senate, he was very close to powers that be and used to decide on allotment of rooms in hostels. Though many doctors were against the agitation, they could not muster enough courage to challenge his leadership, sources claimed.

A top hospital official said with the change in leadership, the administration heaved a sigh of relief as it was fed up with frequent strikes and strong arm tactics used by the association under Dhalaria, who has been on the campus for close to a decade. The new JDA president on his part has assured to do constructive work. On assuming the presidentship, he appointed new office-bearers.