Hardik Patel, the leader of Gujarat’s Patidar community leading an agitation demanding reservation for members of his caste, launched a political party here on Wednesday.

Patel has merged his outfit, the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, with the new political party – the Akhil Bhartiya Patel Navnirman Sena. He claimed the party would take up issues of other caste groups as well.

Backs Nitish, not JD(U) Patel extended his support to the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and said the party will support Kumar, but not JD(U) in the Bihar elections. He claimed that his party would work for farmers, workers and the downtrodden. He said other than Patels, Kurmis and Gujjars will also be part of the party. “When we came to Delhi, we learnt that our brothers’ lands had been acquired for meagre amounts, and huge structures had come up in its place,” Patel said.

He added that a rally of Gujjars, demanding that the land acquired from their ancestors to build the capital should be returned, will be convened at the Ramlila Maidan soon. “We have to fight a battle for our Gujjar brothers. Whatever land that is available and where no work is happening should be given back to our Gujjar brothers,” he added. He claimed that it was the Patels who helped the BJP form the government. “In Gujarat we saw that if anyone that has helped make a Prime Minister then it is us, so we should not be harmed,” he added.

When asked if his party will fight elections, he said it will raise the problems of others. He said the party will have units in 17 States of the country.

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