Gujarat's veteran tribal leader Mohansinh Rathva, who served as an MLA ten times, passed away on Sunday. He was 82 and breathed his last at his native village Umarwa. The news of his death was shared by his family. His health had been steadily declining over the past four years, which had forced him to stay away from active politics. Rathva was counted among the handful of Gujarat leaders who kept a firm hold over tribal belt politics for decades. Soon after the news broke, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief and recalled the years he had spent working alongside Rathva.
PM Modi Expresses Grief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mohansinh Rathva in a social media post. He wrote, I am deeply saddened by the news of the demise of former Gujarat government minister Mohan Singh Rathva. I got the opportunity to work with him for years in the Gujarat Assembly. His dedication and contribution to the all round development of the tribal community, public service and people's welfare will always be remembered. I pray that God grants peace to the departed soul and gives strength to his grieving family to bear this loss. Om Shanti. The message made clear that Modi's bond with Rathva went well beyond politics, built over years of working together in the assembly.
Son Rajendrasinh's Emotional Post on X
Mohansinh's son Rajendrasinh Rathva also remembered his father in an emotional post on the social media platform X. He wrote, Mohansinh Rathva was not just a leader, but a strong leader who fought for the rights of the tribal community. This grassroots leader had distanced himself from active politics due to prolonged illness and breathed his last today after battling the disease. The demise of my revered father, who made public service the purpose of his life, is an irreparable loss for our family. The work he did throughout his life for social service, public welfare and human values will always inspire us. Om Shanti. The post reflected how deeply his family and supporters have been affected by his passing.
From Sarpanch to the Assembly, His Political Journey
Mohansinh Rathva's political career began in 1965, when he was elected sarpanch for the first time. Seven years later, in 1972, he contested the Pavi-Jetpur assembly seat as a Congress candidate and won. In the years that followed, he was associated for some time with the Janata Party and then the Janata Dal, and was elected MLA on tickets of both parties. In 1998, he once again won the assembly election on a Congress ticket. He is particularly remembered for resolving the long-standing irrigation water problem in his constituency, and is widely credited with the Sukhi Sinchai Yojana, which made life easier for farmers in the region.
Ten Times MLA, Defeated Only Once
Rathva was counted among Gujarat's most senior and popular tribal leaders. He was elected MLA a total of ten times from the Chhota Udaipur and Pavi-Jetpur assembly seats, both reserved for Scheduled Tribes, a record in itself. Between 1990 and 1995, he also served as a minister in the Congress government. In his entire political career, he lost an assembly election only once, in 2002, when the election was held against the backdrop of the Godhra riots and he was defeated by a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate. He made a comeback in the elections that followed, but his winning margin kept shrinking each time. In 2012, he defeated BJP's Gulabsinh Rathva by around 2,500 votes, while in 2017 he defeated BJP's Arjun Rathva by a narrow margin of about 1,000 votes.
Joined the BJP With His Son in 2022
Just before the 2022 assembly elections, Mohansinh Rathva joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with his son Rajendrasinh Rathva. This was seen as a major turning point in his political journey spanning nearly six decades. Despite the switch in party, his hold over the tribal belt did not appear to weaken, and the family's political legacy stayed intact. That same year, Rajendrasinh Rathva was elected MLA from the Chhota Udaipur assembly seat, carrying his father's political legacy forward.
Other Leaders Pay Tribute
State Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia expressed grief over Mohansinh Rathva's demise, saying, His life, dedicated to public service, people's welfare and the upliftment of the tribal community, will always remain an inspiration. Getting the opportunity to work with him in the Gujarat Assembly will always be memorable for me. Gujarat BJP president Jagdish Vishwakarma said that Mohansinh Rathva's unwavering commitment to public service, his efforts for the upliftment of the tribal community and his invaluable contribution to people's welfare would always be remembered. These reactions from leaders across the political spectrum make clear that Rathva's influence was not limited to his party or his region alone, but that he held a distinct place in Gujarat's politics as a whole.
