While Prashant Kishor and Congress have decided to part ways in absence of a common route map, the grand old party is pinning hopes on regional heavyweights to secure its vote bank. Despite the blow-hot-blow-cold with Hardik Patel, the party is toeing the line very carefully with Khodaldham chairman Naresh Patel. He is the key to winning the Patel community and the fate of many seats depends on how the community votes.
In the warm up to the battle in March, Nareshbhai had maintained: “Like I did four months ago, even today I will say the same thing. If my samaj, which is spread all over the world, wants me to join politics and orders me to join politics, I will. The Congress, the AAP and the BJP have all offered me a place in their party.”
Today is that crucial day. It is learnt that there will be several rounds of meetings with trustees at Khodaldham. It may be mentioned here that earlier, a meeting has been held between Gujarat Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manhar Patel and the Khodaldham committee.
A look at the day’s itinerary:
11 am to 11:30 am: Khodaldham Temple Trust meeting
11:30 am to 12 noon: Sardar Patel Culture Foundation meeting
12 pm to 12:30 pm: Somnath Leuva Patel Atithi Bhavan Trustees meeting
12:30 pm to 1 pm: All Gujarat conveners meeting. A phased meeting, in which the trustees will discuss the General Assembly and also conduct a survey on chairman Naresh Patel’s entry into politics.