Hardik Patel made Gujarat Congress working president after recent MLA defections to BJP

In a major development, Congress has appointed Hardik Patel as the working president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. Moreover, Congress has also appointed the following district committee chiefs - Mahendrasinh H Parmar (Anand), Anand Chaudhary (Surat) and Yasin Gajjan (Dwaraka). Patel, who was untraceable since January 18, 2020, resurfaced ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections after the Supreme Court granted him interim protection restraining Gujarat police from arresting him in the 2015 sedition case.

Gujarat: Five ex-MLAs who quit Congress party ahead of Rajya Sabha polls join BJP

Hardik Patel made GPCC chief

SC grants interim-protection to Cong's Hardik Patel against arrest in 2015 sedition case

Gujarat Congress' recent RS poll failure

On June 19, all three candidates of BJP - Ramilaben Bara, Abhay Bhardwaj, and Narhari Amin won RS seats, while Congress managed to win only one seat - Shaktisinh Gohil, due to its reduced party strength of 65 in a 180-strong Assembly. The second candidate INC candidate, Bharatsinh Solanki, lost the polls as he got only 30 votes compared to Narhari Amin who won 32 votes. While Congress challenged 2 BJP votes on the announcement of results, State Election Commission rejected the petition.

Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, Congress lodged several of its MLAs in resorts fearing poaching attempts by the BJP in different resorts,  dividing them into zone-wise groups. While both Congress and BJP were set to win two seats unopposed, with the reduced strength, Congress failed to win the second seat as 2 BTP MLAs refrained from voting. Moreover, the lone NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja reportedly voted for BJP despite being issued a whip by party supremo Sharad Pawar.

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Patidar agitation and Congress stint

In July 2015, Hardik Patel led public demonstrations across Gujarat demanding OBC status for the Patidar community - which would entitle Patidars to a reservation in government educational institutions and jobs. Patel also formed the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and held several demonstrations in places like Mehsana, Mansa, Visnagar. On 23 July, the protests turned violent when some agitators allegedly vandalised the office of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Rishikesh Patel and destroyed public property.

Taking cognizance, the police filed  1,500 cases against people who took part in the quota agitation. The community has since then demanded the state government to withdraw the cases. Patel who faces over 20 cases registered against him across Gujarat, since then joined the Congress in the run up to the Lok Sabha but could not contest for the polls because of his conviction of the rioting offence in Mehsana.

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