From Booth Worker To BJP’s New Gujarat Chief: Meet Jagdish Vishwakarma – Delhi News Daily

Jagdish Ishwarbhai Vishwakarma, popularly known as Jagdish Panchal (left), is the new Gujarat BJP chief. (News18)

Jagdish Ishwarbhai Vishwakarma, popularly known as Jagdish Panchal, has carved a significant space for himself in Gujarat’s political landscape, rising from grassroots party work to becoming a three-time legislator and minister of state in the Bhupendra Patel government. He will now be taking on the responsibility of becoming Gujarat’s new state president for the BJP, taking over from CR Patil who led the most successful term for the saffron party in its entire history. Patil ensured a massive victory for the party in the 2022 assembly election where BJP bagged 156 seats out of 182.

Born on August 12, 1973, Vishwakarma represents the Nikol constituency in Ahmedabad in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. His political journey began in 1998 as a booth in-charge at Thakkarbapanagar, a modest starting point that reflects the Bharatiya Janata Party’s model of grooming leaders from the ground up.

Over the years, he steadily advanced within the organisation. In 2013, he was appointed convener of the BJP Gujarat Industry Cell, and later served as president of the Karnavati BJP (Ahmedabad City Unit)—positions that cemented his standing as an influential leader in the party’s urban network.

Vishwakarma’s electoral career began in 2012, when he won his first assembly election from Nikol. He retained the seat in 2017 and again in 2022, marking three consecutive victories that underscored his strong local connect and organisational presence.

In the state cabinet led by chief minister Bhupendra Patel, Vishwakarma holds charge as minister of state for key departments, including co-operation, MSME, cottage and rural industries, salt industries, protocol (Independent Charge), and printing and stationery. He also assists in industries, roads and buildings, forests, environment, and climate change. Earlier, between September 2021 and December 2022, he managed several of these portfolios, including environment and roads.

From the early years of BJP’s expansion in Gujarat under successive state presidents to its current dominance, Vishwakarma’s rise mirrors the party’s organisational ethos—rewarding loyalty, hard work, and grassroots connect. Today, he stands as one of the prominent OBC leaders in the state, playing an important role in both governance and the BJP’s political strategy in urban Gujarat.

The job for Vishwakarma is pretty much cut out as the state goes into election in the next two years in December 2027. For Vishwakarma, to live up to the standards set up by Patil will be a tall task in a state where Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained the longest-serving chief minister.