Amarsinh Bhilabhai Chaudhary (31 July 1941 – 15 August 2004) was an Indian politician. He became the first ''

adivasi The Adivasi (also transliterated as Adibasi) are heterogeneous tribal groups across the Indian subcontinent. The term is a recent invention from the 20th century and is now widely used as a self-designation by groups classified as Scheduled Tr ...

'' to serve as the

Chief Minister of Gujarat The chief minister of Gujarat is the head of government, chief executive of the government of the Indian state of Gujarat. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose Cabinet (government), council of ministers are Cabinet collective respons ...

when he took office in 1985.

Career

Chaudhary was a civil engineer and served as government employee for short time. He became a Member of Legislative Assembly from Radhanpur Constituency in 1970. He became a junior minister under

Ghanshyam Oza Ghanshyam Chhotalal Oza (25 October 1911 – 12 July 2002) was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, India from 17 March 1972 to 17 July 1973. He had a B.A. and L.L.B. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saurashtra State from 1948 to 195 ...

in 1972 and later served as minister in subsequent cabinets. He was elected to Gujarat Vidhan Sabha from Vyara in 1985, and was the

from 1985 to 1989. In 1990 Vidhan Sabha elections, he lost to his namesake Amarsinh (Zinabhai) Chaudhary, an independent candidate, from Vyara (Vidhan Sabha constituency). Amarsinh Zinabhai Chaudhary had been elected to Lok Sabha in 1971 from Mandvi on Congress ticket. Amarsinh (Bhilabhai) Chaudhary later served as President of the

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) is the state unit of the Indian National Congress in Gujarat. It is responsible for organizing and coordinating the party's activities and campaigns within the state, as well as selecting candidates ...

between June 2001 and July 2002. In 2002, he was elected to Gujarat Vidhan Sabha from Khedbrahma constituency, and was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party and leader of opposition in

Gujarat Legislative Assembly The Gujarat Legislative Assembly or Gujarat Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Gujarat, in the state capital Gandhinagar. Presently, 182 members of the Legislative Assembly are directly elected from single-member ...

. He died in the middle of this term.

Personal life

Amarsinh Chaudhary was married to Gajraben and the couple had 3 children. In 1991, he married his companion Nisha Gameti without divorcing his first wife, and this caused a controversy with his first wife calling Nisha 'a venomous lady'. Nisha, on her part, had divorced her husband, with whom she had two children, in 1990. His second wife Nisha Chaudhary was elected to Lok Sabha from Sabarkantha thrice in 1990s. She died in 2001. After her death, he refused to contest Lok Sabha election in 2004, saying that he wanted to stay in Gujarat politics. He died a few weeks after the Lok Sabha election. Politician Tushar Amarsinh Chaudhary is his son.

Death

Chaudhary was admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad on 24 July 2004 for severe liver and kidney complications. He died of cardiac arrest on 15 August 2004 after a prolonged illness.

References

External links

"''Amarsinh Chaudhary is PCC chief''"
– article in

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...

dated 9 June 2001 * – article in ''The Hindu'' dated 14 July 2002 * article in ''The Hindu'' dated 20 December 2002
"''Former Gujarat CM Amarsinh Chaudhary no more''"
article on rediff.com dated 15 August 2004
Amarsinh Chaudhary dies:''"">"''India News> Amarsinh Chaudhary dies:''"
– article in newkerala.com dated 15 August 2004
Sonia condoles Amarsinh Chaudhary's death''"">"''India News> Sonia condoles Amarsinh Chaudhary's death''"
– article in newkerala.com dated 15 August 2004 1941 births 2004 deaths People from Surat Chief ministers of Gujarat India MPs 1971–1977 Lok Sabha members from Gujarat Leaders of the opposition in Gujarat Gujarat MLAs 1985–1990 Chief ministers from Indian National Congress Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda alumni Indian National Congress politicians from Gujarat {{Gujarat-INC-politician-stub