Meet Chhotubhai Vasava, the Guj JD(U) MLA Touted as ‘Kingmaker’

Vasava, a tribal rights advocate, has a criminal past, being involved in cases related to dacoity, murder, etc.

JD(U) MLA Chhotubhai Vasava (centre). 

(Photo Courtesy: Chhotubhai Vasava / Facebook)

Chhotubhai Vasava, the sole Janata Dal (United) MLA in Gujarat, was responsible for much of the political drama that ensued during the state Rajya Sabha polls, which continued till the early hours of Wednesday.

According to several media reports, Vasava’s vote might have had a significant role in making senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel win in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections. However, this information cannot be verified till the Election Commission formally releases the results.

Amid speculation, Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) leader Vasava maintained that he voted for Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

What do we know about Chhotubhai Vasava, the so-called “kingmaker” in this political endgame? Here is a sneak peak into Vasava’s past:

Also Read: Gujarat RS Polls Live | ‘I’m Confident of Winning’: Ahmed Patel

Chhotubhai, the Tribal Rights Advocate

Chhotubhai Amarasinhbhai Vasava has been a member of the 12th legislative assembly from Gujarat’s Jhagadia constituency since 2007. Vasava, who holds the distinction of being the only JD (U) MLA in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly has been a vociferous advocate of tribal rights and by extension, that of separate statehood for Bhilistan, which comprises tribal-dominated areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Vasava has won the Jhagadia seat twice – in the 2007 and 2012 Gujarat Assembly Polls. Prior to this, Vasava had won the seat on Gujarat Adivasi Vikas Paksh (GAVP) ticket, as per a report by NDTV. The lone JD(U) MLA had formed the GAVP in 1993, with an eye toward representing adivasi rights in the Gujarat Assembly.

Eight-time MLA Vasava was quoted by the Indian Express in a 2016 report as saying:

I founded the party in 1993 and was elected then from Jhagadia on a GAVP ticket... I quit the party after joining the JD(U) and my son Dilip is now its president.

Vasava was quoted as saying in a 2002 report by TOI:

The exploitation of tribals has gone on for ages. It was this <i>zulm</i> by the outsiders that drew me to politics. I was hounded by the Congress government and faced hostilities but did not give up the tribal cause.

Chhotubhai’s Criminal Past

Among other criminal cases, Vasava has been involved in nine cases related to dacoity, seven charges related to theft and three related to murder, as per several reports.

A comprehensive overview of Vasava’s murky past can be found on myneta.info.

Here is a list of the sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) invoked against Vasava:

(Photo Courtesy: myneta.info)

(Photo Courtesy: myneta.info)

Also Read: ‘Congress Facing Existential Crisis’: Party Leader Jairam Ramesh

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