Ahmedabad: Members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) from Surat are quite angry with the Congress and have decided to work for the defeat of Congress candidates in the local self-government election. They have opened an office in the ward and held public meetings appealing to the members of the Patidar community not to vote for the Congress.
It must be mentioned that Congress leader Hardik Patel has not made any statement about the controversy. PAAS has made it clear that it will oppose all Congress leaders except Hardik Patel.
Congress had given party ticket to Surat PAAS convener Dharmik Malaviya who all of a sudden decided at the last minute not to file his nomination papers from the Ward Number 3.
Dharmik, while speaking to ETV Bharat said that the grand old party had promised to give party tickets to two persons suggested by PAAS. But, now, it has denied ticket to Vishakhaben and Vijay Pansuriya- the two candidates of PAAS, which created discontent among the party leaders. The other two Congress candidates of Dharmik’s panel too have withdrawn their nominations in support of PAAS. Now, there is only one Congress candidate in the fray from this ward.
Many Congress candidates had won the 2015 election due to the PAAS agitation
Following this turn of events, PAAS workers are angry with the Congress party and have decided to work for the defeat of Congress candidates in all the wards of Surat which have sizeable Patidar votes. They have made it clear that it was because of the support of PAAS that many Congress candidates had won the 2015 civic body election. The Patidar workers challenged the Congress party to get their candidates to win the election this time without the support of PAAS. The Patel body has also threatened not to allow Congress to campaign in wards which have a sizeable number of Patidar voters.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Hardik Patel, who had become the youth icon during the Patidar reservation agitation of PAAS, and who has kept silent on the present controversy, is scheduled to address an election rally in Surat’s Katargam area. Clarifying the position of PAAS, Dharmik said they have nothing against Hardik and were with him.
Other parties may take benefit
Dharmik also said that they have begun campaigning in wards and started all efforts for the defeat of the Congress candidates. We are against both BJP and Congress, he said, and hence other parties may take advantage of the situation.
It is a matter of existence for PAAS
Surat’s senior journalist, Harish Gurjar, who covered the politics for more than two decades told ETV Bharat that except for the Ward No.3, there is no atmosphere of tussle visible this time in the remaining predominantly Patidar constituencies. As three Congress candidates have withdrawn their nomination the fight is now between BJP and AAP. It would be considered a great achievement of PAAS if the Congress manages to win only a single seat in the Patidar areas but if this does not happen then it would be difficult for PAAS to even exist.
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