The Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat is in deep mourning following the death of its Umreth MLA Govind Parmar at 82. The veteran succumbed on Friday in an Anand hospital after battling health issues for months.
Grief enveloped Anand district and beyond as politicians, party faithful, and locals paid respects to the man who bridged rural Gujarat with governance. Umreth, his stronghold, feels the loss most acutely.
Parmar, born in 1943 to an ordinary family, stepped away from studies after seventh grade to embrace a life of service. Renowned for his down-to-earth style and bonds with Charotar farmers, he was politics personified at the village level.
In 2017, he entered the Gujarat Assembly by narrowly beating Congress candidate Kapilabai Chavda (1,883 votes margin). His 2022 re-election was decisive, overcoming NCP’s Jayant Patel with a whopping 26,717-vote victory on 95,639 tallies.
Leading the condolences was BJP state president Jagdish Vishkarma: ‘Heartbroken by the passing of Umreth’s esteemed MLA Govindbhai Parmar. I beseech divine peace for his soul and resilience for his kin.’
Parmar’s legacy rests on authentic engagement and development focus for the underprivileged. Commemorative events by party workers underscored his influence.
As the Umreth seat opens up, Parmar’s journey from grassroots activist to lawmaker inspires continuity in service-oriented politics.