Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel today said his party will 'directly or indirectly' support the Congress party for the upcoming elections in Gujarat.
"Congress has accepted our issues. They have agreed to give Patidars reservations under section 31 and provisions of section 46, " he said, adding that the party will bring a bill when they come to power in Gujarat.
"Draft has been prepared between us and the Congress. Formula is not restricted to Patidar community alone," he added.
Patel, however, clarified that he is not joining any political party.
We have never appealed to anyone to vote for Congress, but since they are talking about our rights, we leave it on people to decide, he said, adding that although they are not "openly extending support" to Congress, they will fight the ruling party BJP so "directly or indirectly, there will be support to Congress."
On reports that the Congress did not allot enough tickets to PAAS members, Patel said they have never asked for any ticket.
The Congress had initially allotted two seats to PAAS members -- Amit Thummar and Lalit Vasoya -- as against 20 seats demanded by the outfit.
The Congress later withdrew the candidature of Thummar from Junagadh and replaced him with Bhikhabhai Joshi of the party, leaving only Vasoya (Dhroaji) in the fray from PAAS.
The "improper representation" to PAAS had prompted protests by its members.
Soon after the first list was released on Sunday night, agitated PAAS members started protest in many parts of the state.
In Surat, several PAAS members ransacked the Congress city unit's office and indulged in sloganeering against the party.
The Patidars constitute 16 percent of the state population and play an important role in swinging the voters' mood. The Congress is counting on the Patidar votes to sway the election results of Gujarat polls in their favour and uproot the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power since 1995 in the state.
(Inputs from agencies)
