The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kantilal Amrutia, who reportedly saved several lives when a bridge collapsed in Morbi in October, is leading from the seat in the votes count for the Gujarat Assembly polls.

Ahmedabad Feb 21 PTI Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Monday said that state-wide agitations will be launched in Gujarat after March 23 if the ruling BJP government fails to withdraw all the remaining criminal cases lodged against protesters during the 2015 Patidar agitation for reservation under OBC category Patidars form a significant vote bank in Gujarat where elections are due in December this year Addressing media persons Patel who is Gujarat Congress working president said that he was raising the demand for the withdrawal of the remaining cases as a quota agitator and not as a Congressman Playing down Hardiks threat to launch protests Gujarat BJP spokesperson Rutvij Patel said Hardik and his party have lost their political base in Gujarat and they are doing such stunts only to grab the attention of the media As promised nearly 140 cases against Patidar agitators were withdrawn when Anandiben Patel was the chief minister till August 2016 Her successor Vijay Rupani had promised to take back the remaining cases but he did nothing At present nearly 200 cases involving nearly 4000 youths who are shown as accused are pending claimed Hardik He claimed that prominent Patidar leaders and MPs from the community made a representation before Bhupendra Patel after he became chief minister of Gujarat a few months back on this issue Patidar youths are getting harassed due to the false cases lodged against them Despite such representation from various quarters the CM has not taken any decision yet Hardik said Hardik who had led the protests for inclusion of Patidars under the OBC quota in 2015 said he has been facing 30 cases in Gujarat including two FIRs for sedition I wont mind if the government decides against withdrawing FIRs against me If the government does not make a final decision by March 23 we will launch a state-wide agitation to build pressure From March 1 to 23 we will hand over memorandums at all taluka and district centres From March 10 to 15 we will approach all the MLAs and MPs to seek their support If they refuse to support our cause we will stage a sit-in said Hardik On March 6 a public discussion will be held with the people who had participated in the 2015 quota stir and the kin of 14 Patidars who died during protests The Congress leader sought the support of all the communities claiming that the 10 per cent EWS quota introduced by the state government after the Patidar agitation proved beneficial for the youths of all the castes and not just Patidars Countering Hardik the BJP spokesperson said the Gujarat government had withdrawn nearly 80 per cent of cases against the protesters Both Hardik and Congress have lost their political base in Gujarat That is why Hardik is doing such political stunts to be in news The Patidar community remained with the BJP in the past and they will remain with us in the future too said Patel He said BJP MPs recently requested the CM to withdraw the remaining cases The state government will withdraw all those cases which can be taken back under the law Pate said PTI PJT PD NSK NSK

Ahmedabad Aug 24 PTI Patidar community leader Lalji Patel on Tuesday said Patidars will fully utilise the weapon of votes in the next Gujarat Assembly elections due in December 2022 and will boycott those political parties that refuse to accept demands of the community Instead of organising large gatherings which was the hallmark of Patidar quota agitation which rocked Gujarat six years back Patel who heads Sardar Patel Group SPG said Patidar volunteers will now form smaller teams and reach out to every Patidar home to make them aware about their rights and pending demands Though Hardik Patel was the face of the agitation in 2015 seeking the OBC status for Patidars it was SPG that had first raised this demand in Mehsana Before carving his own outfit PAAS Hardik Patel was also part of the SPG Election is the only time when demands are heard Even the government remains under pressure during polls especially when votes of such a large community are at stake Since we are working for the community for so many years we will also take advantage of this situation to make our demands heard and get things done in favour of Patidars Lalji Patel told reporters during a press conference here The Assembly elections in Gujarat are expected to be held in December 2022 Earlier we used to organise large rallies But now we have decided to form smaller teams that would reach out to every Patidar household to spread awareness about their rights During polls Patidars will boycott those political parties which refuse to accept our demands Votes are our primary weapon and we will fully utilise it said Patel The Patidar leader however did not specify the pending demands On the issue of getting the OBC tag for Patels especially when Parliament has passed a favourable bill in this regard Patel said SPG and other community outfits had already submitted required documents and applications with the state OBC Commission to conduct a survey A meeting of all Patidar organisations will be convened soon to rejuvenate our old demand and make a representation to the government in this regard Patidar outfits will also discuss the issue of cancellation of FIRs registered against Patidar agitators as promised by the government in the past said Patel To pay tributes to 14 Patidars who were killed in the violence which followed a large gathering at the GMDC ground in Ahmedabad on August 25 2015 SPG has appealed to Patidars to organise programmes in their localities on the night of August 26 said Patel PTI PJT NSK NSK