After much turns and twists, the Congress and Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had reached down to an agreement over the reservation to the Patidars. The final announcements were to be made by Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel on Monday but it seems like some drama was left before the climax.
The high-level meeting was held between PAAS leaders and Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki, senior Congress leaders Siddharth Patel and Babubhai Mangukia. Hardik Patel was not present at the meeting. After the meeting, PAAS convener Dinesh Bambhania said that “Earlier, we had asked the Congress to clarify how they would grant Patidars a constitutionally valid reservation. Today, we held a crucial meeting on that issue and finally reached a consensus on various options offered by the party to us. The official announcement of this agreement will be made by Hardik tomorrow in Rajkot.”
After the crucial meeting held late on Sunday, the PAAS leader in his statement o the press said that “I can say that we are in agreement with the Congress about their formula of granting reservation. We have not talked anything about giving tickets to PAAS. Hardik would announce tomorrow whether PAAS would support the Congress during the polls or not.”
Our first and last concern is reservation. Hardik Patel will make an announcement from Rajkot, tomorrow: PAAS leader Dinesh Bambhaniya #GujaratElections2017 pic.twitter.com/WI6hGhvm1J
— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2017
Regarding the meeting, Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki said that “The meeting was successful and yielded a positive outcome. We both agreed to implement this agreement in coming days.”
Jahan par baat atki hui thi pichli meeting se, un baaton par humare beech samjhauta aur sehmati hui hai: Bharat Singh Solanki, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President after meeting PAAS leaders in Ahmedabad #GujaratElections2017 pic.twitter.com/M4FYH1yI5N
— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2017
Solanki had also stated that neither Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor, nor the PAAS had asked for any tickets.
However, only hours after the Congress released its first list of 77 candidates, there was an outbreak between the PAAS members and the Congress on the seat sharing. Clashes broke between Congress and PAAS members near the office of Congress candidate Praful Togadia, from Patel-dominated Varchcha Road seat in Surat.
The PAAS leaders complained that they were denied the ticket. They also threatened that they will not allow the Congress office in the city to operate until their demands for seat sharing is met. Violent protests were also seen in different parts of Surat.
The chief who was in talks with the Congress over the reservation quota to the Patidars, Dinesh Bambhania said that “Congress announced tickets to PAAS members without consulting our core committee. We will register a strong protest by attacking Congress offices.”
According to the sources, the PAAS had earlier demanded 20-25 seats, however, hard bargaining and the scandal of the alleged sex tapes of Hardik Patel, they agreed onto seven to nine seats. The first list of candidates released by the Congress on Sunday listed two PAAS leaders, Lalit Vasoya from Dhoraji in Rajkot and Amit Thummar from Junagadh.
#WATCH: Miffed over ticket distribution, PAAS leader Dinesh Patel earlier today said will oppose Congress if our concerns are not addressed pic.twitter.com/ly7RQqIM8c
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2017
#WATCH Surat: Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti workers clash with Congress workers over ticket distribution (earlier visuals) pic.twitter.com/uz5fx9oXIc
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2017
Meanwhile. Gujarat Congress in-charge, Ashok Gehlot condemned the protests and said that the Patidars should keep patience. In his statement to the press, Gehlot said that “Hardik Patel and his workers should show patience. Issues can be sorted out by talking. Also, Gujarat chief minister should worry about the fights over ticket distribution in his party and not comment on us.”
I condemn this violence, Hardik Patel and his workers should show patience,issues can be sorted out by talking. Also,Gujarat CM should worry about the fights over ticket distribution in his party and not comment on us: Ashok Gehlot,Congress pic.twitter.com/1dUdUMvPBh
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2017
Following the protests and clashes between the PAAS members and the Congress, Hardik Patel’s rally where the Patidar leader was to announce the alliance between Congress and Patidars and whether or not the Patidars would support the Congress in the upcoming Gujarat polls, has been canceled.
Meanwhile, PAAS Mehsana convenor Narendra Patel, who had earlier revealed that the BJP had offered him Rs 1 crore to join the party alleged that Dinesh Bhambania has made a covert deal with the BJP or NCP.
Following the protests, security was tightened outside the house of Gujarat Congress head Bharatsinh Solanki. Dinesh Bhambhani also got into a quarrel with the policeman when he was trying to meet Solanki. Bhambhani had claimed Congress did not consult PAAS before the first list of candidates was announced.
The Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel was scheduled to announce the final decision of the community in a rally to be held in Rajkot. However, following the clashes between the Patidars and the Congress, the rally was canceled. In wake of the last night’s incidents and that only two Patidar members were given the ticket, Hardik Patel without naming Congress asked the leaders not to forget the promises made. Hardik tweeted a small poem asking leaders to not drown in politics.
https://twitter.com/HardikPatel_/status/932510337772875776
Looking at the prevailing events in Gujarat, all the eyes are on the poll-bound state, which is most likely also going to decide the fate of the Lok Sabha elections due in 2019. Congress is playing all possible moves to win the elections by hook or by crook and end their political exile of 22 years in Gujarat. On the other hand, Gujarat is said to be the fort of BJP and the party is in no mood of losing it’s more than two-decade-long reign in the state.
The Patidars who hold almost one-fifth of the population in Gujarat, are being considered as the game changers in the polls this time. The Patidar community has been one of the oldest vote banks of the BJP, however, following differences with the party over reservation to the community under the OBC quota, Hardik Patel has sworn to work to defeat BJP this time in Gujarat.
Gujarat will face the assembly elections in two phases. The first phase of election will see polling in 89 seats on 9 Nov and the second phase will be for 93 assembly constituencies on 14 Dec. The results will be announced on 18 Dec along with the results of Himachal Pradesh assembly elections which were held on 9 Nov.