Nitish Kumar may visit Gujarat at Hardik's invitation

Patidar leader Hardik Patel has invited Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to Gujarat to support the demand of reservation for Patidar community, JD-U Spokesperson K.C. Tyagi said on Friday.

"The party will soon decide about Hardik Patel's invitation to Nitish Kumar to visit Gujarat. Hardik also thanked Nitish Kumar for supporting the reservation movement," Tyagi said.

Hardik Patel, in his letter to Bihar Chief Minister, said that his community is locally known as Patidar , Maratha in Maharashtra, Gujjar in Rajasthan and Kapu Kamma Reddy in southern states.

"We firmly believe that the roots of social justice in the country would further consolidate under your (Nitish Kumar's) leadership. Your struggle against communalism is commendable," Hardik wrote.

To date, Nitish Kumar, who is also President of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), has been targeting and firing salvos against Modi by questioning his much-hyped Gujarat development model to '56-inch chest' phrases.

"Now, Nitish Kumar will challenge Modi in Gujarat, thanks to the invitation of Patidar leader Hardik Patel," another senior JD-U leader said.

Earlier this week, Nitish Kumar in his address at the JD-U National Council meeting at Rajgir in Nalanda said the country is passing through an agrarian crisis, as once prosperous and powerful agrarian castes, including Jat in Haryana, Pataidar in Gujarat and Maratha in Maharashtra, have been demanding reservation.

--IANS

ik/nir/vm