It's a war to weed out BJP: Hardik Patel's battle cry before Gujarat elections 2017

AHMEDABAD: Declaring a war to “weed out” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the poll-bound Gujarat, Hardik Patel on Saturday said the people of Gujarat want to witness development, not sex-CDs of a youth.

The 23-year-old leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) was addressing a massive rally at Mansa on Saturday – the same place where Patels held the agitation rally on July 22, 2015, to seek quota under the OBC category. 

Mansa is also the hometown of BJP President Amit Shah.

Hardik, who had earlier threatened to drop a "bomb" against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the rally, stuck to the script of hitting out at BJP during his 45-minutes of speech. 

गाँधीनगर ज़िल्ले में आरक्षण और बेरोज़गार के मुद्दे पर अधिकार जनसभा
हज़ारों की तादाद में जनता की आवाज़ है अधिकार दो या फिर ख़ुर्शी ख़ाली करो,जनसभा को रोकने के लिए पुलिस का इस्तेमाल हुवा था,लेकिन अब जनता जाग गई हैं।भाजपा युवा मोर्चा के कार्यकर्ता हम पर हमला करने के लिए आए थे।। pic.twitter.com/xEAcJ8oRqO — Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) November 18, 2017

Earlier, PAAS sought the administration’s permission to hold the rally in Mansa, but the same was denied by the Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police.

"The SP and Collector told us that they are being pressurised by people on the top and so they denied us permission. We do not need any permission," Hardik told the large gathering.

Hitting out at BJP, Hardik said the party should not have played the game of CD, as people of Gujarat wanted to see the CD of 23-year rule and not that of a 23-year-old youth.

"In 2007, they defamed Sanjay Joshi and now it is our turn," he said repeating his earlier allegations that the CDs were released at the behest of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani after spending Rs 40 crore.

Hours ahead of a rally, two PAAS members – Amrish and Ketan Patel – joining the ruling BJP. The two were close aides of Hardik and played significant roles in the Patel agitations. 

Meanwhile, the deadlock between PAAS and Congress continued with the former asking for nine tickets but Congress offering four, said reports.

 

With IANS inputs