Patidar agitation leader, Hardik Patel has yet again made a statement that is further increasing the tensions for the already nervous BJP in Gujarat.
In his statement to the press, Hardik Patel on Thursday said that he is ready to extend his support to the Congress in the Gujarat assembly election due on 9 and 14 Dec, as the senior Congres leaders have assured him that the party will meet the demands of the Patidars for reservations in jobs and education.
He although said that a formal announcement will be made next week after the final discussion with the Congres Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, which is likely to be held during his next visit to Gujarat, scheduled from 1-3 Nov. “I am sure [that] in that meeting he will promise OBC [Other Backward Classes] status if the Congress is voted to power in Gujarat,” Patel told.
He also informed that the Gujarat Congress in charge, Ashok Gehlot had assured him support by the Congress regarding the Patidar’s demand for reservation. When questioned about him joining Congress, the Patidar leader ruled out the option saying that he himself is only 24 and not eligible to contest the polls and none of the other members of the Patidar group will also fight the elections. They are only fighting for the rights of their community and wants the demands to be fulfilled, he added.
In his conversation with the media, he also praised Rahul Gandhi saying that “Rahul has proved himself in last two months. Now, people have started listening to him seriously and are getting attached to him. If he does something good, he can become the PM (prime minister)”.
BJP has however called this move of the Congress only an election ploy. BJP spokesperson Jaynarayan Vyas said that “The Congress promise is an election ploy because it is not possible constitutionally.” Supporting his statement he added that the BJP ruled government in Gujarat had given 10% reservation for the poor among non-reserved castes, last year. But the proposal was rejected by the Gujarat high court saying that the provision the Supreme Court’s cap of 50% on reservation.
Responding to this senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde said that “If the Congress complies with the directions or conditions on the basis of which the high court quashed the status given to Patidars, then there is no problem.” Hence Harik is confident that if Congress comes to power in Gujarat it will keep up its promise and therefore the Patidars have decided to extend their support to the party.
However, BJP argued that the Patidars have now disintegrated and even if Hardik supports Congress, it cannot be said that the entire community will support the party.
As the elections are nearing, both Congress and BJP are trying hard to lure the Patidars to their side, as the community holds one fifth of the population of Gujarat and their votes will make a major difference. The Congress has already gained the support of the OBC with Alpesh Thakor officially joining the party and on 21 Oct, the party had also invited Hardik Patel to join the party.
While BJP is also trying all possible moves to get the support of the Patidars, Narendra Patel, a convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, only after hours of joining the party had revealed in a press conference that BJP had offered him 1 crore to join the party. Soon after the revelation of Narendra Patel another Patidar leader, Nikhil Sawani, who had joined BJP just a few days back, gave his resignation to return back with Hardik Patel. In his statement to the press he said that he was not offered any money by BJP to join the party, he had only joined keeping in mind the betterment of the Patidars and hoping that BJP will keep up its promises. When he realised that BJP is not doing anything in favour of his community, he resigned from BJP and also thanked Narendra Patel, to reveal the truth about BJP.
Hardik till now had not cleared his stand as to which party he will be supporting. Though he always said that he is working to defeat the BJP in Gujarat, he had also said that if BJP agrees to the terms of the Patidars he would immediately call off his protest and support BJP. This is the first time that Hardik has given a statement saying that he is ready to support the Congress.
If the meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Hardik Patel goes as planned which is likely to be held between 1-3 Nov and the Patidars extending its support to the Congress is finalised, BJP will be facing a tough time winning the polls and continue its reign in Gujarat, which it has been doing for the past 22 years.