Gujarat Election: Congress Pact With PAAS in Jeopardy, Hardik Patel Cancels Rally

Ahmedabad: Hardik Patel was on Monday supposed to cement his pact with the Congress but cancelled his rally in Rajkot after a split in the ranks. The two sides have been unable to come at a decision on the seat sharing formula for the Gujarat assembly election next month.

The Hardik-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had struck a deal with the Congress on its quota demand and seat allocation on Sunday, but it soon turned sour as only two members of the Patidar committee found their names in the Congress list of 77 candidates.

The 24-year-old was not present in the meeting with Congress. Sources said that talks with the Congress are still on and Hardik may hold a press conference on Tuesday.

PAAS had demanded 20 seats. Around 18 other Patel candidates, who are not members of the PAAS, found mention in the list. The two who have been given tickets are Lalit Vasoya from Dhoraji and Amit Thummar from Junagadh seat.

Members of the group expressed anger and started protesting in many parts of the state, claiming that they were not given proper representation. They also vandalized Congress offices in two places and clashed with party workers.

The division in the Patidar group, however, became evident when Vasoya filed his nomination papers as a Congress candidate despite PAAS convenor Dinesh Bhambania announcing that none of the leaders would do so. Vasoya claimed he was only following the directions of their leader, Hardik.

Surat city PAAS convenor Dharmik Malaviya said the group would not allow any Congress office to function in the state. “Our community members have not been given proper representation in the list that has been declared,” he said.

In Ahmedabad, PAAS convenor Dinesh Bhambania, with his supporters reached the house of state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki to represent their case. "We will organise protest in front of every office of the Congress across the state. Bharatsinh Solanki should talk to us," he said.

"The Congress has given tickets to two of our members without taking us into confidence. Other Patel candidates that they have selected are bogus. We will hold a massive protests against Congress tomorrow," another PAAS convenor Alpesh Kathiria said.