Jignesh Mevani Says He Won't Join Any Party, Hardik Patel Meets NCP Leaders, Both Keep Congress Guessing

Meanwhile, Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday held a meeting with NCP leaders Praful Patel and Jayant Patel, reported TOI.

These reports have come amid speculations that both the young leaders will join Congress ahead of the much anticipated Gujarat assembly elections due in December.

Earlier in a Facebook post, Mevani had termed the reports of him going to meet Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi as “wrong.” He had then said that that even if he meets Gandhi, it will be to know the Congress’ stand on issues of the Dalit community and not for his own "personal gains".

According to a Times of India report, Hardik has claimed that his meeting with NCL leaders was focused just on "exchanging formal greetings" but NCP sources said that they discussed cooperation in the coming Gujarat assembly polls.

Earlier, Congress had accepted four of his major demands but kept the one on OBC quota issue pending.

Congress is believed to be keen on projecting Mevani, Hardik and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor as the trio taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has taken a break from his ongoing 'Navsarjan Yatra' in poll-bound Gujarat and is visiting Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh to meet the families of victims of the explosion at NTPC's Unchahar plant where death toll has risen to 26.