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Working as peon at BJP’s Mehsana district office for 27 years, tribal man wins corporation polls

Rameshchandra Bhil, 50, says will keep the job at BJP office while “working for the common people of my city”.

Rameshchandra Bhil, mehsana, bjpRameshchandra Bhil got elected from Ward no. 13 along with three other BJP candidates. (Express photo)

The BJP emerged victorious in 47 out of 52 seats in the maiden elections of the Mehsana Municipal Corporation in Gujarat, the results of which were announced on Tuesday.

Among the BJP’s winning candidates, Rameshchandra Bhil, 50, belonging to the Tribal community stood apart: he has been working as a peon in the party’s district office, now called Shree Kamalam, in Mehsana city for the last 27 years.

Bhil got elected from Ward no. 13 along with three other BJP candidates. Bhil secured 4,310 votes on the seat reserved for Scheduled Tribe communities.

Mehsana is one of the nine newly formed municipal corporations which have witnessed elections for the first time. With 13 wards, the MMC has 52 seats. The Congress won the remaining five seats. One village, Dela, which had around 1600 votes, had boycotted the elections in protest that its consent was not taken before it was merged into the municipal corporation.

Expressing happiness at being elected as a corporator, Bhil said he “will work for the  common people of my city”. Bhil has been living in Mehsana city with his wife and parents.

Asked if he would resign from the job in the BJP office, Bhil said, “I will work for people. But I am not going to resign from my job at the party’s office. The party office has made me this big and I am not going to resign from there. I will continue my job while working for the people.”

On the occasion, Bhil recalled some veteran BJP party leaders of the Mehsana district such as the late Jashubhai Patel and the late Jayanti Barot.

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“Jayantibhai got me the job in the party office as a peon 27 years ago,” he said.

Out of the total 47 seats that it won, the BJP has won five uncontested.

Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region. Expertise & Authority Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues: Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani. Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters. Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis: State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys. Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read More

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