Ahead of the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress is facing major setbacks. Before it can recover from one loss, the news of another blow for the party arrives, and this has now become a pattern in the state Congress. In this series, the news of the resignation of Mohansinh Rathava of the Congress has shaken the Gujarat Congress. Rathava’s resignation has triggered speculation in political circles that Congress may be looking ahead at its worst phase in the state.
According to reports, senior Congress leader and Chhota Udepur MLA Mohansinh Rathava has resigned from the party membership and all posts. The senior-most and stalwart leader of the Congress, Mohansinh Rathava holds the record of being the most successful MLA candidate of the Chhota Udepur Legislative Assembly.
He addressed his resignation to state party president Jagdish Thakor. He resigned as an elected member of the Chhota Udepur assembly constituency as well as a member of the Indian National Congress Party. The resignation of Mohansinh Rathava will cause a big loss to the Congress party.
Mohansinh Rathava has been the Minister of Tribal Development, Forest, Fisheries, and Social Security in the past, besides being the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
Records held by Mohansinh Rathava
Mohansinh Rathava has been elected from the Chhota Udepur seat and holds the record for being an MLA for the most number of times. He has been elected as an MLA from the Chhota Udepur assembly constituency for the last 11 terms i.e. since 1972.
Rathava, who was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly for nine consecutive terms in Gujarat, set a record for being elected for the most consecutive times in 2012. He was sworn in as an MLA for the 10th time when the Gujarat Assembly session was underway, breaking his own record in 2017 and becoming the most sworn-in MLA in Gujarat.
Rathava has won the Chhota Udepur seat the most number of times. He has been elected to the 4th Legislative Assembly of 1972-74, the Fifth Legislative Assembly of 1975-80, the Sixth Legislative Assembly of 1980-85, the Seventh Assembly of 1985-90, the Eighth Legislative Assembly of 1990-95, the Ninth Legislative Assembly of 1995-97, the Tenth Legislative Assembly of 1998-2002, the 12th Legislative Assembly of 2007-2012, the 13th Legislative Assembly of 2012.
Though it was speculated that Rathava may retire politically, he soon joined the BJP. It is notable here that Rathava’s son is married to the daughter of another senior Congress leader Sukhram Rathava. Replying to media questions, Rathava denied the idea that the quit Congress because the party refused a ticket for his son. He stated that he had feelings for the BJP for many years.
The Chhota Udepur constituency is reserved for ST candidates.