Mohanbhai Dhanjibhai Dhodiya

Mohanbhai Dhanjibhai Dhodiya was the son of a Scheduled Tribe family born on June 1, 1957, in Puna, Gujarat. His early education was only up to the 8th standard. Farming was his first profession, and he was very much in tune with local economic and social issues then. His community work and involvement in rural development during that time paved his way into politics.

He started his political career from the grassroots level when in the year 1995 he was elected as a member of the Surat District Panchayat. Improving his skills in local governance, he was appointed as Leader of the Opposition in the panchayat during the year 2001.

In the year 2002, he reached the Gujarat Legislative Assembly after winning the Mahuva (ST) seat on a BJP ticket. The next election in 2007 was a loss for him, but he managed to get back to the Assembly in 2012 and kept it in 2017 and 2022, thus reaffirming his loyal supporters in the constituency.

Besides being a legislator, Dhodiya has been fighting for tribal communities in Southern Gujarat along with the regional development issues. He is also known for being approachable and promoting farmers' interests.

He is still regarded as one of the trustworthy politicians in the state, serving the constituency of Mahuva (ST) as its elected MLA in the year 2025.