BJP gets another Patidar jolt in Gujarat

Another Patel face quit the BJP on Monday, hours after a Patidar leader from north Gujarat alleged that the ruling party had offered him Rs 1 crore for crossing over.

Nikhil Sawani had joined the BJP a fortnight ago after the state government made some assurances to Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) on reservations for the Patel community.

Announcing his resignation, Sawani said he realized that the BJP was taking the community for a ride and could not remain with it. "The BJP is treating Patidars as a vote bank and what they had promised was a mere lollipop."

On Sunday night, PAAS convenor from north Gujarat Narendra Patel dropped a bombshell two hours after he joined the BJP. He presented wads of currency notes, alleging that the BJP tried to buy him.

He said Patidar leader Varun Patel, who joined the BJP on Saturday evening, took him to meet Gujarat BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani and other leaders on Sunday. They gave him Rs 10 lakh as part of Rs 1 crore deal, he alleged.

Narendra Patel last month lodged a police complaint against Hardik Patel and three supporters in Patan in north Gujarat but withdrew it later.

His bribery allegation came just a day after two Patidar leaders joined the BJP.

--IANS

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