The Congress and the Gujarat Patidar leadership have begun negotiations for joining hands to take on the BJP in the upcoming State Assembly polls. Hardik
Patel, the 24-year-old leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), has reportedly come out with a set of demands before the top Congress leaders to support the party.
Sources said Patel wants assurance from the Congress that if voted to power, it would give his community reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions under the OBC category.
Sources close to the development said Hardik has put his demands before the Gujarat Congress in-charge and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot ahead of All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Gujarat on Monday.
Patel also wants maximum number of tickets to Patidar candidates in those Assembly constituencies where votes of the community could be the deciding factor. The PAAS leader, who has been agitating for the rights of politically powerful Patidar community for the past two-and-half years, has also demanded greater representation for the community in the organisational structure of the Congress in Gujarat.
Gehlot first confirmed through his social media handle about his meeting with Hardik and other PAAS leaders. A few hours later, Hardik too echoed the same through social media confirming his meeting with Gehlot in the “interest of the Patidar community”.
Already Congress leaders in the poll-bound State are buoyant over the entering of young OBC leader Alpesh Thakore in the party fold. Thakore, who is convener of Thakore Sena as well as SC/ST/OBC Ekta Manch, has emerged as a young OBC face in Gujarat over the past two-and-half years. He is demanding employments for his community members and strict implementation of prohibition law in Gujarat. Rahul and Gehlot specially came to the State for Thakore’s induction in the Congress at a mega show.
The meeting of Hardik and Gehlot at a luxurious hotel in Ahmedabad has fuelled speculation that the supreme Patidar leader could join the Congress ahead of the Assembly polls. Hardik also reportedly met Rahul Gandhi to discuss the possibility of his joining the Congress.