Bhavna Chikhalia, Minister of State of Tourism, Culture and Parliamentary Affairs in the Vajpayee Government, passed away on Friday due to heart attack in Ahmedabad. 58-year-old Chikhalia was active as chairperson of Gujarat Housing Finance Corporation (GHFC) as well as councilor of Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC).
Chikhalia hailing from mountain town Junagadh in the Saurashtra region had illustrious political career. She won four consecutive lok Sabha elections as BJP candidate from Junagadh constituency and remained Member of Parliament from 1991 to 2004.
She is the only female politician from Gujarat to win four consecutive elections in tandem. Besides, she was in the BJP Parliamentary Wing from the year 1993 to 1996. She was given the charge as party whip and party vice-president as well as All India BJP Mahila Morcha president in 1998.
In the year 2000, Chikhalia was also included in the Saffron party’s Executive Committee as member. She also served as chairperson of the Railway Convention Committee from 1999 to 2002. She had also served as member of National Shipping Board.
In 2004 lok Sabha election, she was defeated by Congress candidate Jasu Barard. She was not given ticket in the last general election in 2009. Instead, the party high command suggested her to fight JMC election.