Hardik Patel, the face of the Patel quota stir in Gujarat, on Sunday announced that the  agitation for quotas for Patels in Government jobs and educational institutions will be expanded to other States and include castes like Kurmis and Gujjars.

The 22-year-old leader of upper caste Patidar community in Gujarat said he was now  seeking reservation for nearly “27 crore people” of various communities spread all over the country.

“Whatever has happened in Gujarat, we want to take it to the national level and there are (people of) around 12 States who are connected with us,” he told mediapersons here at the Press Club of India.

The rally led by Hardik at Ahmedabad on August 25 to demand OBC quota for Patidar community had flummoxed political observer with its scale and pitch as it was followed by widespread violence claiming ten lives.

Patels in Gujarat are a relatively well-off community and as such are not seen to be the natural claimant for OBC reservation. Hardik, who met some leaders of the Kurmi, Koeri and Gujjar communities among others with whom he said the Patidars of Gujarat had kinship, said the agitation for reservation was “a marathon and not a 100-metre race”.

Kurmis and Koeris, about whom Patel talked, already figure in reservation list in key Hindi heartland States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which also has Gujjars in that category.

“It (agitation) is a marathon and not a 100-metre race. It will go on for one to two years. I intend to bring 27 crore people our community together which are in different States. I want to take our movement all over the nation. Wherever the Patel community needs me, I will go.

“During this time, if we feel the need for muscle power of the community, they will help us. And whenever required they will block the highways,” said the Patel community leader.

“We intend to organise a mega rally in lucknow, Jantar Mantar... We will give a call to the Patels of India,” he said.

Supporting reservation for poor from every community, he said, “The country has gone back 60 years because of reservations and this has hindered its prospects of becoming a super power. Those who score good marks but are still unable to get admission require reservation.

He came down heavily on   the Gujarat Police for its actionduring the agitation and said he will hold a mega-rally in Madhya Pradesh on Monday.