Gandhinagar: A day after Gujarat Congress leader Bharatsinh Solanki’s ‘others ruling Gujarat’ remark at a function organized by Kshatriya community, another Gujarat Congress leader, Hardik Patel today in a Facebook post protested the tendency of demanding the leadership of the State on the basis of community background.

Speaking at a function organized by Kshatriya community at Norta village near Patan Central Gujarat, Congress leader Bharatsinh Solanki had yesterday said for last 25-30 years “others” have been ruling Gujarat and they are taking care of  (only) “others”. Solanki said, “we – the others, if want to move ahead in the areas of jobs, education, societal life, agriculture, businesses and health, then we need to (have our) rule…. they ruled a lot, now let us take over.”

Solanki said, “in our social system, those who are in majority, whose welfare is required, should rule.”

Solanki’s this remark was largely seen as his attempt to solidifying the Kshatriya vote bank and seeking Kshatriya leadership to take over the State which is scheduled to witness the general elections of assembly next year.

Without mentioning this, Hardik Patel today in a Facebook post said, ‘I am not as experienced as you but I urge you as a representative of youths that you should stop seeking state leadership on the basis of community.  One should not insult Karmabhumi Gujarat by seeking the Chief Minister of own community.

It’s worth noting that the last Chief Minister from Bharatsinh Solanki’s Kshatriya community was Shankersinh Vaghela who had rebelled against BJP. However his Chief Ministership was short lived. The last full-term Kshatriya Chief Minister was Madhavsinh Solanki in 1980s. The function attended by Bharatsinh Solanki was also attended by Kshatriya – Thakor community leader of Congress party Jagdish Thakor.

In the recent past, one politically ambitious leader of socio-religious organization of Patel community, Naresh Patel had demanded Patel Chief Minister to takeover Gujarat.

DeshGujarat