With the Assembly polls are coming nearer, political scenario is gradually becoming clearer over who would take whose side as the pro-quota leader and the top leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PASS) Hardik Patel welcomed Rahul Gandhi on his visit to the State on Monday morning using social media. This is for the second time in the past couple of months, 24-year-old Hardik Patel publicly showed his leaning towards the Congress party. During a public meeting in Mehsana recently, he urged his community members to vote for the Congress party.
Hardik’s tweet came as a morale booster for the Gujarat Congress workers just few minutes before their top leader landed at Mithapur airstrip in Devbhoomi Dwarka district. Though, later on Patel played safe by saying that Patidar will support Congress only if the party would ensure to accept demands of the community. PAAS and few other outfit of powerful Patidar community are demanding reservation for their community youth in government jobs as well as education institutions under Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
It is worth mentioning that Patidars are traditionally BJP’s committed voters. Following the pro-quota agitation initiated by Hardik and others, the Congress party is hoping for large number of votes from them. On the other hand BJP leaders believe that despite ongoing agitation, eventually Patidars will vote for the saffron brigade as those who are leading the agitation are dancing on the tune of anti-BJP elements.