How the party can benefit from the Patidar leader ahead of Gujarat Assembly polls

File picture of Hardik Patel. ANI

The need-he received’t-he lastly ended on Tuesday with Hardik Patel confirming that he would be part of the BJP on 2 June.

Patel, who joined the Congress in 2019, resigned from the get together on 18 Could in a scathing letter to get together chief Sonia Gandhi which took the highest get together management to process for “being distracted on their cell phones” and being targeted on “hen sandwiches” – which despatched Twitter right into a frenzy.

Whereas Patel’s looming induction into the BJP comes as huge information, it’s hardly stunning. Patel had in current days effusively praised the BJP’s decision-making and magnificence of functioning.

 For the saffron get together, information of the Patidar chief becoming a member of might hardly have come at a greater time – Gujarat can be heading to the polls later this 12 months.

BJP’s excessive hopes for Hardik

BJP sources instructed The Print it’s hoped that Patel’s induction  would assist counter the affect of  Naresh Patel — a Rajkot-based industrialist mentioned to wield monumental affect over Gujarat’s Patidar neighborhood — in case he decides to hitch the Congress.

The BJP can be seeking to woo the Patidars or Patels. With a inhabitants of 1.5 crore, they’re mentioned to exert affect in round 70 Meeting seats and are an vital group in Gujarat.

Gujarat has additionally witnessed a slew of CMs: Chimanbhai Patel, Keshubhai Patel, Babubhai Patel, Anandiben Patel and incumbent chief minister Bhupendra Patel.

“The BJP is a big parivar (household) and everyone seems to be welcome to serve the nation. Patel has proven his mettle by main protests for the rights of the Patidar neighborhood,” a pacesetter instructed The Print.

BJP management additionally views Patel as a possible bulwark towards the AAP, which has its eyes on Gujarat.

Patel additionally appears to have buddies in excessive locations.

The Occasions of India reported that Hardik’s entry is being labored “on the get together’s highest stage with an lively nudge from prime RSS brass” and that Hardik is seen as a possible chief.

The report additionally famous that for the BJP, inducting Hardik makes excellent sense. With its goal of besting Madhavsinh Solanki’s document of 149 seats in 1985, the get together is gearing itself to make a significant impression in Saurashtra and thwarting AAP’s penetration, albeit largely at the price of Congress.

Patel’s ascent

Patel first got here to prominence in the course of the Patidar agitation of 2015, which demanded that the neighborhood be included within the OBC class.

Forward of the 2017 Meeting polls, Patel drew large crowds and had an amazing following among the many Patidar youth.

Whereas he didn’t take the political plunge, his presence offered Congress a fillip on the polls – the get together managed its best-ever 77 seats in comparison with the BJP’s 99 seats.

Observers credited Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mewani with the Congress’ higher than anticipated efficiency.

Hardik was rewarded with being inducted because the Gujarat Congress’ working president however wasn’t in a position to get together with the remainder of the get together management.

Nor might he stave off the onslaught by the Narendra Modi-powered BJP within the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

One other brick in Congress’ wall

For the Congress, which is already dealing with an uphill process in Gujarat, this might not have come at a worse time.

The get together is alrady dealing with outrage over its record of Rajya Sabha names with a number of leaders saying the candidates didn’t replicate the optics of the recently-held Chintan Shivir in Udaipur.

A number of high-profile leaders have additionally exited the get together this 12 months.

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With inputs from PTI