Gopal Italia

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Gopal Italia: A Simple Biography

Gopal Italia, born on 21 July 1989, is an Indian politician and social activist from Gujarat. He is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and serves as the Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for Visavadar, after winning a by‑election in 2025.

Early life and education
Italia was born in Botad, Gujarat, and grew up in Timbi and Dhola villages. He earned a BA in political science from a Gujarat University‑affiliated college in Ahmedabad in 2016 and later completed an LLB from Saurashtra University in 2020.

Career before politics
He began his career as a police constable at Madhupura Police Station in Ahmedabad from 2013 to 2016. He then worked as a Revenue Clerk in the Dhandhuka taluka office under the Ahmedabad Collectorate. He has long campaigned for the rights of unemployed youths and ordinary citizens.

Patidar movement and activism
Italia became involved with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti and played a role in the Patidar reservation agitation, closely linked with Hardik Patel. He has worked to raise awareness about constitutional rights through initiatives like Kayda Katha.

Entry into politics with AAP
In 2020, Italia joined the Gujarat unit of AAP as State Vice President and was named State President in December 2020. He led the party in Gujarat through the 2021 local elections and the 2022 state elections. In 2025, he won the Visavadar seat in a by‑election, becoming an MLA.

Controversies and legal cases
Italia has been involved in several controversies. In 2017 he was suspended from government service after a shoe was hurled at a Gujarat minister during a protest; he later resigned. In 2019 he was arrested under the Arms Act for an incident involving a plastic gun. In 2021 and 2022 he faced protests and legal actions related to his political activities, including a remark about Prime Minister Modi that drew criticism and a detainment by Delhi Police in 2022 over alleged derogatory language about the Prime Minister.

Current status
As of 2025, Italia remains an MLA representing Visavadar for AAP, continuing his work as a social activist and politician in Gujarat.