Dinkar Mehta

Dinkar Krishnalal Mehta (17 October 1907 – 30 August 1989) was an Indian politician and trade unionist. Mehta headed the communist movement in Gujarat for decades – leading the Gujarat state unit of the Communist Party of India between 1936 and 1964, and then the Communist Party of India (Marxist) between 1964 and 1989. He served as a legislator of Bombay State and Mayor of Ahmedabad. Mehta was a prominent leader of the Mahagujarat movement, which struggled for the creation of a Gujarati linguistic state.

Early life Mehta was born on 17 October 1907. As a young man, Mehta become involved with the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. He organised trade unions and other mass organizations. Mehta finished in second place with 4,793 votes (17.76%).

He was elected to the Central Committee of CPI at its 1953 Madurai Party Congress.

Mahagujarat movement Mehta was the Vice President of Maha Gujarat Janta Parishad between 1957 and 1960. He was a Member of the Legislative Council of the Bombay State between 1958 and 1960.

CPI(M) leader When the CPI was split in 1964, Mehta would join the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He had not joined walk-out protest at the CPI National Council meeting on 11 April 1964, which marked the emergence of the Left CPI (later CPI(M)) as a separate party, but was identified as a leftist within CPI. On 5 August 1964, the Maha Gujarat Janata Parishad organized a state-wide hartal (general strike). Mehta took part in mobilising mill workers to join the strike. After the hartal, Mehta and other party leaders were arrested. He became the Gujarat State Committee Secretary of CPI(M), a post he would hold until his death. Mehta authored many works on Marxist theory in Gujarati language.

Dinkar Mehta died on 30 August 1989. He had suffered from ill health during the last years in his life.