Jignesh and Hardik to share stage for the first time

Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel may share stage for the first time on November 25 in the run-up to the Gujarat Assembly polls, a day before they launch a joint campaign against the BJP.

The programme for the event is yet to be finalised. However, the culmination of the 11-day campaign in Ahmedabad starting November 26 will once again see them on the dais.

Symbolic dates

The campaign, called 'Jan Sabhas', will start on November 26, the day the Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1949, and ends on December 6, the 25th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid by Hindutva activists.

The campaign will be held in eight reserved  constituencies and in Ahmedabad.

The organisers expect a mobilisation of around one lakh people ranging from youth, farmers, labourers and marginalised. For Mevani, the Gujarat  election is a precursor to tackle the "BJP-RSS fascist forces" in the 2019 General Elections and they are in the "project to defeat the BJP".

Accusing the BJP of just talking about "sex CDs" and shying away from a debate on development, he said they will counter the BJP's "communal" campaign with questions on price rise, unemployment and religious harmony.

"The BJP in Gujarat is shaken. We can see it when they are talking about the sex life of a 24-year-old (Hardik)... They cannot speak about development and that is why they speak about these sex CDs and Ram v/s HAJ (Hardik, Alpesh, Jignesh)," he said, as he dared the Prime Minister for a public debate with him, Patel and Alpesh Thakore, a prominent OBC leader who recently joined Congress.