Patel Quota Stir

Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who shot to fame by spearheading a quota stir in Gujarat, today joined the Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi during the party's Working Committee meet in Ahmedabad.

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel is pushing for a survey to establish "social and economic backwardness" of the community in Gujarat so that they qualify for reservation in jobs, days after Marathas were granted reservation in Maharashtra after a similar exercise.

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today said that he will extend his support to the stir by members of the Gujjar community in Rajasthan from May 15 to press for their demand of five per cent reservation from within the OBC quota.

Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday said he will enter electoral politics in the future.

Amid the ongoing tension between the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and the Congress over allocation of tickets for the Gujarat polls, Patel quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel today claimed his outfit never demanded any seats and said "the BJP and the Congress are the same".

Hardik Patel blinked today, saying he will support the Congress in the December elections in Gujarat, since the party is "openly supporting Patidars."

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel today held a meeting with senior NCP leader Praful Patel to discuss various aspects related to the next month's Gujarat Assembly polls, including the possibility of a united fight against the BJP, an NCP leader said.

Hardik Patel, the 24-year-old Patidar leader who is leading a campaign against the BJP, says he is ready to surrender if the police want to arrest him but stressed that the agitation he is leading would continue even he was put behind bars.

A senior member of the Hardik Patel-led group campaigning for reservations for the Patel community has alleged that he was offered Rs 1 crore for crossing over to the BJP. The charges could hurt the state's ruling party as it rallies support ahead of state election due by the end of the year.

Hoping to garner the support of various communities in Gujarat polls, the state Congress today invited Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel, Thakor community leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani to join hands with the party to defeat the ruling BJP.

Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel arrived in Udaipur on Monday and said that he would leave for Mandsaur, the epicentre of the farmers' stir in Madhya Pradesh, with his supporters on Tuesday.

Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) today vowed to launch another round of agitation for OBC quota next month to "open eyes" of Gujarat government which it said was "dragging its feet" on the issue.

Quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel has demanded the release of Patel youths convicted in various riots cases of 2002, but alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not facilitate it as he now wants to project himself as a "secular" leader to the world.

Ahead of the first anniversary of the Patidar agitation for reservation in jobs and education, differences are growing between the core members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti or PAAS and its convenor Hardik Patel. The leaders have accused Mr Patel of "spending the community's money to further his personal interests".

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel used the agitation as a tool to satisfy his ambition to emerge as a leader and has become a "crorepati" within one year of launching the movement, two of his former aides have claimed.

Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who shot to fame by spearheading a quota stir in Gujarat, today joined the Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi during the party's Working Committee meet in Ahmedabad.

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel is pushing for a survey to establish "social and economic backwardness" of the community in Gujarat so that they qualify for reservation in jobs, days after Marathas were granted reservation in Maharashtra after a similar exercise.

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today said that he will extend his support to the stir by members of the Gujjar community in Rajasthan from May 15 to press for their demand of five per cent reservation from within the OBC quota.

Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday said he will enter electoral politics in the future.

Amid the ongoing tension between the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and the Congress over allocation of tickets for the Gujarat polls, Patel quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel today claimed his outfit never demanded any seats and said "the BJP and the Congress are the same".

Hardik Patel blinked today, saying he will support the Congress in the December elections in Gujarat, since the party is "openly supporting Patidars."

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel today held a meeting with senior NCP leader Praful Patel to discuss various aspects related to the next month's Gujarat Assembly polls, including the possibility of a united fight against the BJP, an NCP leader said.

Hardik Patel, the 24-year-old Patidar leader who is leading a campaign against the BJP, says he is ready to surrender if the police want to arrest him but stressed that the agitation he is leading would continue even he was put behind bars.

A senior member of the Hardik Patel-led group campaigning for reservations for the Patel community has alleged that he was offered Rs 1 crore for crossing over to the BJP. The charges could hurt the state's ruling party as it rallies support ahead of state election due by the end of the year.

Hoping to garner the support of various communities in Gujarat polls, the state Congress today invited Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel, Thakor community leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani to join hands with the party to defeat the ruling BJP.

Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel arrived in Udaipur on Monday and said that he would leave for Mandsaur, the epicentre of the farmers' stir in Madhya Pradesh, with his supporters on Tuesday.

Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) today vowed to launch another round of agitation for OBC quota next month to "open eyes" of Gujarat government which it said was "dragging its feet" on the issue.

Quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel has demanded the release of Patel youths convicted in various riots cases of 2002, but alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not facilitate it as he now wants to project himself as a "secular" leader to the world.

Ahead of the first anniversary of the Patidar agitation for reservation in jobs and education, differences are growing between the core members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti or PAAS and its convenor Hardik Patel. The leaders have accused Mr Patel of "spending the community's money to further his personal interests".

Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel used the agitation as a tool to satisfy his ambition to emerge as a leader and has become a "crorepati" within one year of launching the movement, two of his former aides have claimed.