In a major boost for Congress ahead of Gujarat Assembly elections, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor joined the Grand old party. Congress vice-president who is holding the ‘Navsarjan Gujarat Janadesh’ rally in Gandhinagar today, shared the stage with Thakor, as per an India Today report. Alpesh Thakor rose to prominence after the Patidar agitation led by Hardik Patel demanding OBC status as he worked for the rights of Patels.
Meanwhile, it is being reported that Rahul Gandhi did not meet Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel, and will meet him when he again comes to Gujarat in November. However, other reports have said that the meeting has happened. There is no clarity on the issue as yet. Hardik Patel, who enjoys huge popularity in the state, had earlier said through a tweet, “Mujhe chunav nahin ladna aur chunav ladne mein hamaara swarth bhi nahin hai. Hame adhikaar chahiye aur nyay, hum ahankar ke saamne lad rahe hain. Jeet hamaari hogi. (I do not want to contest elections, and it is not my objective either. I want our rights and justice. We are fighting arrogance. Victory will be ours)”.
The Congress Vice-President’s rally comes on a day when Patidar leader Nikhil Sawani quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that the government has not done anything to ensure quota for Patels in Gujarat. According to India Today; Narendra Patel, a local convener of Hardik Patel’s Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti alleged that he was offered Rs 1 cr to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Patel quit the party just hours after he joined it. As the political battle intensifies in Gujarat, both BJP and Congress are keeping their guards up in wooing the voters.