Guj polls: Got 2 asked for 20; Hardik-led PAAS protests after Cong releases list

Ahmedabad: Poll bound Gujarat has witnessed its latest share of action hours after Congress released the first list of 77 candidates on Sunday for the upcoming state elections.

Soon after the list was released, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) workers, led by Hardik Patel, expressed anger and started protesting in various parts of the state claiming they were not given proper representation.

Two PAAS members - Lalit Vasoya and Amit Thummar - were given tickets in the list, while the Hardik Patel-led organisation had originally demanded 20.

Vasoya got the ticket for Dhoraji while Thummar got for Junagadh seat.

Around 20 other Patel candidates, who are not members of the PAAS, also find mention in the list.

In Surat, PAAS members gheraoed the city unit office and indulged in sloganeering against the Congress.

"Our community members have not been given proper representation in the list that has been declared. We will not allow any Congress office to function in the state," Surat city PAAS convenor Dharmik Malaviya told reporters.

In Ahmedabad, PAAS convenor Dinesh Bhambania, reached the house of state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki with his supporters, to represent their case.

"We will organise protest in front of every office of the Congress across the state. Bharatsinh Solanki should talk to us," he said. However, Solanki was not present at his Ahmedabad residence.

"The Congress has given tickets to two of our members without taking us into confidence. Other Patel candidates that they have selected are bogus. We will hold massive protests against Congress tomorrow (Monday)," another PAAS convenor Alpesh Kathiria said.

PAAS leader Dinesh Patel said, "We'll ask our party candidates to not file a nomination. If they still do, we'll protest against them also.”

Dinesh Patel also alleged that the Police has been targeting the community, and posing a threat to their lives.

"Police personnel are arresting us under the influence and out of uniform too. They want to kill us. Our life is under threat," he added.

Earlier on Sunday, PAAS members led by Bhambania and Kahiria had met Solanki and other Congress leaders. After the meeting it was declared that they had reached a compromise formula.

Hardik Patel had earlier set a condition that he would support the Congress in the Assembly polls, only if the party committed itself to allotting reservation in education and government jobs to his community.

The polling for the two-phase elections in Gujarat will take place on December 9 and 14 and votes will be counted on December 18.

With inputs from agencies.