Will work to restrict BJP in Gujurat to 80 seats: Hardik Patel

Hardik Patel, the 23-year-old face of Patel quota stir in Gujarat, on Wednesday said that they would work towards restricting ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat to around 80 seats in the state Assembly polls slated by the end of this year.

“These polls are not a fight between BJP or Congress but that of youth, women, dalits, Patels and farmers against BJP,” he told media persons. “We are going to make sure that the party, which is planning to achieve a target of winning 150 of 182 seats in the Assembly, does not go beyond 80.”

At present, BJP has 121 seats in the Assembly, with Congress having 57 representatives.

Hardik said his main political enemy was BJP and that they had kept options to support the Congress “open”, while he came down heavy on Congress, calling it a sinking ship. “They should not think that the laddoo (sweet) of power would fall into their mouth courtesy Patel agitation. If they too do not make their stand clear on our issues and get their act together, the people may be forced to look for a completely new alternative,” he added.

Hardik also asked the state government to set up a Commission to look in to quota and other demands of Patels. “They do not seem to want to give anything to Patels,” he said.  Hardik was replying to deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel’s statement in media that the state government was ready to hold talks with Patidars. “We shall not meet you till you make your (government) stand clear on our demands, including the key one of reservations for Patidars,” Hardik said.

Patel said that the statement from government was primarily to pre-empt any protests during the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit beginning May 22. “Fifty one youths, including me, will take a march with tonsured heads in protest on May 21. We have kept our target at 51 but any number of Patel youths can join us,” Hardik said.

His organization Patidaar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) would hold a “Nyay Yatra” (Rally for justice) between two Saurashtra towns of Botad and Bhavnagar.  To be held on May 20 & 21, the rally would pass through 50 villages.

He also announced plans to collect over 50,000 PAAS workers from across 7,000 villages to Ahmedabad on June 11. These PAAS workers would be briefed on campaign against BJP till the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.