Gujarat’s Patidar leader Hardik Patel today alleged that a businessman had offered him Rs 5 crore to cancel his rally in Surat. He has also asked his supporters not to vote for BJP or fall for Independent, AAP or NCP's trap in the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections.
"I was offered 5 crore to remain absent from Surat rally. I got a call from a Surat businessman who offered me this huge sum. They will try to divide us, but this time we have to show them our unity," said Hardik Patel, as quoted by India Today.
Hardik’s claim comes after his aide and the convenor of his outfit Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti(PAAS), in October alleged that BJP had offered Rs 1 crore to him. Narendra Patel had then appeared on camera with wads of cash to prove his claim.
Patidars or Patels are an important group in Gujarat, who enjoy great political dominance in the state. Often regarded as the deciding factors in the elections, the community has largely voted for the BJP since 1990s, but a section is miffed over a lack of quota in government jobs and education. And the Congress has reportedly offered a convincing reservation formula to Patidar leader Hardik.
Hardik, the founder of PAAS, has been holding rallies and drawing large crowds in the poll-bound state. According to the report, he claimed that nearly 13 lakh people participated in his road show in Surat today.
He had earlier said that he will directly or indirectly support Congress to defeat the ruling BJP in Gujarat. He had formally accepted the formula offered by the Congress party on granting reservation quotas to his community.
Last month, 24-year-old Hardik had warned that the BJP would employ a "sex CD" to discredit him. A week later, a four-minute video clip allegedly featuring him with a woman had surfaced.
"I may be subjected to this sort of treatment but is this not derogatory to the women of Gujarat," he had then asked, saying, “The women of Gujarat should do something to punish this.”
Congress had then sought to support him and said, "The BJP is under pressure. It knows it's losing ground to the Congress, and also these youngsters are aligning with us, so it's a ploy to defame Hardik"
