The political party which has not only thrived but flourished on divisive politics is now on the receiving end as the ones they ‘promised’ justice as election promise are now demanding it and Congress leaders in Gujarat are hiding instead of facing them. Patidar Anamant Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leaders, including Hardik Patel, have been asking Congress to make their stand clear on providing reservation to the Patidars.
The PAAS leaders have been asking Congress to take a stand and only then they will decide to support Congress in the upcoming Gujarat elections. The Congress has so far maintained that it will offer a 20-percent reservation to the economically backward classes (EBC), without disturbing the 49-percent reservation given to the scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other backward classes (OBC).
After extending deadlines given to Congress by Patidars number of times, PAAS has now given the ultimatum of 24 hours to Congress to declare their stand on reservation for the community. Even as Congress struggles to decide names for the candidates for upcoming elections, the PAAS conveners are giving Congress a run for their money as they are reportedly seeking as many as 30 seats.
Yesterday, PAAS leaders Dinesh Bambhania, Manoj Panara and Lalit Vasoya were called to Delhi to meet the national leaders, but it seems talks haven’t made any headway as Gujarat Congress President Bharatsinh Solanki, hurriedly left Delhi without informing them. The PAAS leaders are upset and say this is an insult to them as Solanki has reportedly even stopped answering their phone calls. Ashok Gehlot, Gujarat Congress election in-charge, also returned to Rajasthan without holding any further discussions with the Patidars.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal and Patidar leaders who were in Delhi, boarded same flight to Vadodara where a meeting is likely to take place on sidelines of the event Sibal is attending in Vadodara.
As the deadline looms, watch this space as the battleground Gujarat heats up.
