Gujarat Assembly elections 2017: Star candidate - Ganpat Vasava

Ganpat Vasava, 46, is a minister in the cabinet of Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. He is seeking reelection from the Mangrol (ST) constituency.

Vasava is Gujarat's Minister of Forests, Environment and Tribal Welfare.

He has been elected from the Mangrol (ST) constituency thrice in a row - 2002, 2007 and 2012. He had lost in his first attempt in 1998.

Vasava became the youngest Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly in February 2011, at just 40 years of age. He also was the first person from a Scheduled Tribe community to be elected Gujarat Speaker. He served in that post till the end of that Assembly, in December 2012. He served another term as Speaker, from November 2014 to August 2016.

Between his two terms as Speaker, Vasava was the minister for forests, environment and tribal welfare.

Ganpat Vasava will face a candidate of the JDU in the contest for the Mangrol (ST) seat.