Ahmedabad: Another meeting, probably the last one between Hardik Patel led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti(PAAS) and Indian National Congress is likely to take place tomorrow evening at State party headquarters Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan in Ahmedabad. It is learnt that Congress leader and Supreme Court lawyer Kapil Sibal will attend this meeting and share his findings on possible constitutional/legal way to give reservation quota to politically strong Patidar community in jobs and education in Gujarat. PAAS leader Hardik Patel has been pro-Congress and anti-BJP from starting of his quota movement. His organization openly campaigned for Congress party in year 2015 local elections. Hardik now wants to open support to Congress, however he would lose significant number of supporters in Patidar community if he declares support to Congress. He therefore is building a strong plot before declaring support to Congress. He wants his community members to say that look Congress would give us reservation. It has proper plan and way forward to do so. Hardik believes that he would be able to convince his community with this plot and will be able to safely declare support to Congress and do campaign for Congress in upcoming assembly polls scheduled to take place next month. To keep its Other Backward Class(OBC) votes secure, Congress has time and against declared 20% Economically Backward Class(EBC) reservation quota for unreserved segments of Gujarat including Patidars. However reservation quota on economical criteria is constitutionally not valid. The present BJP government had given 10% EBC quota but the decision was turned down by High Court. The case is going on in Supreme Court. Even in other states EBC has been disapproved by court. Moreover quota beyond 50% is legally not valid considering earlier verdict of court. Gujarat has already 50% quota. One of Congress promises is to grant quota to Patidars through proper survey. However in the case of Maratha and Muslim reservation quota in Maharashtra, the court had even turned down survey. Meanwhile, team members of Hardik Patel who have been active Congress supporters in the past are desperate to achieve PASS-Congress alliance in order to contest various Patidar community populated seats and become MLA on the basis of their role during just two and half years old agitation. How Congress would convince the community regarding promise to avail quota and how much community support Hardik and his organization will lose post tie up with Congress has to be seen.

DeshGujarat