Even as its State working president Hardik Patel has quit, the Gujarat Congress is continuing the spadework to strengthen itself for the state elections. AICC In-charge of Gujarat affairs Raghu Sharma on Thursday held a meeting with leaders of the key Saurashtra region as well as Leuva Patidar leader Naresh Patel.
“Before this month-end, it’s expected that Naresh Patel will join Gujarat Congress once the necessary negotiations are concluded with the state leadership”, an AICC leader, who is a close aide to the Gandhi family told VO!.
In the upcoming days, the state leadership will hold more regional meetings to discuss the Chintan shivir resolution and its execution in the state as part of strengthening the election campaign.
“Ideology matters in politics, ambitions shouldn’t dilute ideology. Those who had left Congress were diluted by selfishness. National leadership is stern about how the regional political activism should be, we are ready with it”, State Congress chief Jagdish Thakor told VO!.
Reliable sources from the national and state leadership told VO! that Naresh Patel expressed his desire to work with Congress. “Naresh Patel is interested in making his political debut with the Assembly elections scheduled later this year. Even he had met the Congress high command 4 times in the last 50 days”.
“If Congress can give the right electoral candidature to Naresh Patel then the chances are higher than the other Patidar community organisations such as Umiyadham Sidsar in Saurashtra; Umiyadham and in North Gujarat; Vishva Umiya Foundation and Sardardham in Central Gujarat; Surat-based Samast Patidar Samaj in South Gujarat and Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) will align as pro-Congress”, an I-PAC source told VO!.
Patidars have a strong influence on around 50 seats in Gujarat, the majority of which are in the Saurashtra region.
