Gujarat elections: Congress, Hardik Patel a step closer to striking a deal
A deal between Hardik Patel’s Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and the Congress would be crucial as Patels, with a 12-14% vote share, can potentially influence Gujarat election results in favour of a particular political party. Photo: HT
The Congress is close to striking a deal with the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) for Gujarat elections, something that could potentially expand its social base in the state. A politically crucial meeting between Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Hardik Patel is likely to take place next week.
A deal if clinched would be crucial as Patels, with a 12-14% vote share, can potentially influence election results in favour of a particular political party. The support of the community is also significant because the Patels have been key to the repeated wins by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1995 in Gujarat. In the last few years, however, cracks have emerged in this relationship.
Credit: livemint.com