Big boost for BJP: 71 Patel stir leaders from Vijapur join party

The development comes ahead of the crucial elections to municipalities, district panchayats and taluka panchayats on November 29. These elections are being considered a bigger challenge for BJP than the urban local body polls.

Manoj Patel, convener of the Samiti’s Vijapur taluka unit in Mehsana district, and 70 other Samiti members greeted Anandiben and joined BJP. The party’s state unit sent out pictures of the meeting of the Samiti members with Anandiben, announcing patch up with at least a section of the influential Patidar group.

“I along with 70 Samiti conveners of different villages of Vijapur taluka joined BJP after meeting the Chief Minister at Shree Kamalam today 7 pm,’’ Manoj told The Indian Express. “We were working with the Samiti for the movement. But, gradually, it became clear to us that the agitation was being fully supported by Congress. So, we joined BJP.’’

The development also comes a day before the Chief Minster is scheduled to campaign in north Gujarat districts of Mehsana and Patan. Mehsana is the cradle of the entire agitation and has witnessed most incidents of violence after the massive rally by the Samiti in Ahmedabad on August 25.

Vijapur taluka of Mehsana district is a Patidar stronghold.

Raman Patel, a BJP leader from Vijapur, said the local unit was pursuing the Samiti members for a few days to convince them to join BJP. “And eventually, they got convinced and around 70 of them got into the party after meeting the Chief Minister. They vowed to work for BJP from now on,’’ he added.