Gujarat elections: Two Patidar leaders joins BJP ahead of Patidar rally…
Two prominent leaders of the Patidar quota protest movement joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, a possible boost for the saffron party that is looking to win over the disgruntled community ahead of December assembly elections.
Ketan Patel and Amrish Patel were both conveners of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), whose chief Hardik Patel is locked in negotiations with the Congress over a demand for reservations for the Patidar community in government jobs and education.
With this move, five of Hardik’s closest aides have deserted the 24-year-old firebrand leader and joined the BJP. Only two senior quota protest leaders – Dinesh Bambania and Alpesh Kathiriya – are with the outfit. A leader, Nitin Savani, quit the BJP after joining the party and claimed to have been paid a bribe of Rs 1 crore — a charge the saffron party rubbished.
Ketan and Amrish were co-accused in a sedition case along with Hardik, for allegedly instigating mobs to damage public property during violent protests two years ago demanding quotas. But Amrish was never arrested and Keten in February turned approver and was discharged.
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