| Arjun Modhwadia | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly, Gujarat | |
| In office 8 December 2022 – 4 March 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Babubhai Bokhiria |
| Succeeded by | TBA |
| Constituency | Porbandar |
| In office December 2002 – December 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Babubhai Bokhiria |
| Succeeded by | Babubhai Bokhiria |
| Constituency | Porbandar |
| President, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee | |
| In office March 2011 – March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Siddharth Patel |
| Succeeded by | Bharatsinh Solanki |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1957-02-17) 17 February 1957 (age 67) Modhwada, Gujarat, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Hiraben |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Porbandar |
| Alma mater | Lukhdhirji Engineering College, Morbi; Saurashtra University |
| Occupation | Former Leader of the Opposition (2004-2007) |
| Profession | Politician |
| Committees | President of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) |
| Website | www |
Arjun Modhwadia is a former Indian National Congress politician from Porbandar Gujarat, India. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from 2004 to 2007. He had been a president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), the Gujarat wing of Indian National Congress from 2 March 2011 to 20 December 2012.
In March 2024, he quit the Congress Party and joined the BJP.
Early life and career
Arjun Modhwadia was born in a Gujarati family at Modhwada, a village near Porbandar, on 17 February 1957. His schooling was at the government primary school of the village. He graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Lukhdhirji Engineering College in Morbi. He became a Senate member of Saurashtra University as a Registered Graduate constituency representative from 1982 to 2002. In 1988, he also joined the university's executive council. He was an assistant engineer with the Gujarat Maritime Board for ten years. He left his job in 1993 and entered politics. He is married to Hiraben and has a son and a daughter.
He has been associated with Maldevji Odedra Smarak Trust and Dr Viram Godhania Mahila Arts, Commerce, Home Science, and Computer Science College since 1988. He has been the president of Gramya Bharati High School, Bayavadar, since 2002 and a trustee of Sorath Kshay Nivaran Samiti, Keshod, an organization working for Tuberculosis patients, since 2004.
Political career
He joined Indian National Congress in 1997. In 2002, he contested assembly election and won. In 2002, he became a member of Delimitation Commission of India for Gujarat (Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies). He was also appointed a member of the Estimate Committee. He was the Leader of the Opposition of Gujarat Legislative Assembly from 2004 to 2007.
He was re-elected in 2007 and from 2008 to 2009 he was also the chairman of the media committee and Chief Spokesperson of GPCC. On 2 March 2011, he was selected as the 27th president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee.
He also resigned from the post of president of GPCC on 20 December 2012 following defeat. He again lost in assembly election in 2017 against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Babu Bokhiria. He was elected from Porbandar constituency again in 2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election as an INC candidate defeating his nearest rival and BJP candidate Babu Bokhiria.
Bharatiya Janata Party
In March 2024, Modhwadia quit the Indian National Congress ending his 40 years of association with the party, and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of BJP Gujarat State unit President C. R. Patil.
References
- ^ "Gujarat leaders join BJP a day after quitting Congress". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Arjun Madhwadia-Journey". www.arjunmodhwadia.com. Official website. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Arjun Modhwadia appointed new state Cong president". The Indian Express. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Gujarat Congress chief: Did Arjun Modhwadia pip Shankersinh Vaghela?". Daily News and Analysis. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- Bureau, Zeenews (20 December 2012). "Arjun Modhwadia resigns as Gujarat Congress president". Zee news. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - "Gujarat Assembly Election 2017: Heavyweights, MLAs, Ministers Bite The Dust". NDTV. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- "Highlights | Gujarat election result 2017: Final tally out, BJP bags 99 seats, Congress gets 77". The Financial Express. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
- Desk, BL Internet (18 December 2017). "Gujarat Elections results: BJP wins majority". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - "ગુજરાત વિધાનસભા ચૂંટણી પરિણામઃ કોંગ્રેસના સૂપડા સાફ, માંડ 17 સીટ જીતી, આપ પાર્ટીનો 5 બેઠક પર વિજય". Indian Express Gujarati (in Gujarati). Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- "Ex-Gujarat Congress chief joins BJP day after quitting Congress". India Today. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- "Ex-Gujarat Congress veteran Arjun Modhwadia quits, 'felt helpless'". India Today. Retrieved 10 March 2024.